And plenty of people see the appeal. In fact, backyard chicken ownership has grown from a niche hobby into a mainstream one. One 2024 study estimated that the United States has more than 85 million backyard chickens, while another reported that about 11 million U.S. households now keep chickens.

But as efficient and cost-effective as a little backyard flock may seem, 2026 has brought a reminder that raising chickens is not quite as simple as collecting eggs and tossing out feed. There’s a rising risk that could put you (and your chickens) in danger.

No need to send your chickens packing just yet. But it’s smart to stay on top of the latest health alerts so you can protect yourself and your flock. Read on to discover what the issue is, how it may affect you and what experts say you should be doing to keep you and your brood safe.

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What is the issue right now with raising your own chickens?

There are actually two separate concerns right now: avian flu, which is spreading among birds, and salmonella, including some drug-resistant strains, which is making backyard poultry owners and their families sick.

“Highly pathogenic avian influenza, also called avian flu or HPAI, is a respiratory virus carried by migratory birds. It can spread to domestic chickens through direct or indirect contact,” explains Katie Ockert, a Michigan State University Extension community, food and environment educator and instructor in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife. In chickens, it is usually fatal, and it can affect both backyard and commercial flocks. According to the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, there were 19 confirmed flocks affected by HPAI in the United States in May 2026.

Salmonella, on the other hand, is a bacterium, not a flu virus, and it can be carried by chickens. It may be present on their bodies, in their droppings and on their eggs, explains Ockert. Even more annoying: Birds can look perfectly healthy and still spread it.

The distinction is important. Avian flu is a major concern for birds and for public health monitoring, but salmonella is the more immediate human health concern for the average backyard flock owner. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is currently investigating multistate salmonella outbreaks linked to backyard poultry, with 184 illnesses in 31 states, 53 hospitalizations and one death reported as of May 2026.

And it’s not just chickens: Ducks, geese, turkeys and other backyard birds can also pose risks, depending on the disease.

Where are these infected birds coming from?

With avian flu, wild birds are a major source of spread. Migratory birds can carry HPAI and pass it to domestic flocks through direct contact or contaminated environments, including water, feed, droppings and dust.

That means birds you already own can be at risk too, especially if they have access to ponds, standing water, wild-bird feeding areas or places where wild birds perch or leave droppings. Plus, people can accidentally carry the virus on their shoes or clothing, and vehicles can carry it on their tires.

With salmonella, the picture is different. Birds can come from hatcheries, feed stores or breeders already carrying the bacteria, but salmonella can also persist in the coop environment. Since birds may look clean and healthy, owners may not realize there’s anything to worry about.

Are backyard birds more prone to avian flu?

Backyard birds aren’t more biologically prone to avian flu than commercial birds. Both can be vulnerable, Ockert says. The level of risk depends on biosecurity practices—keeping germs away from your flock and keeping anything your flock may carry from spreading to you—and exposure to wildlife.

The difference is that commercial poultry operations usually have stricter monitoring, testing and biosecurity systems. Backyard owners may not recognize the signs as quickly or may not have the same safeguards in place.

For HPAI, Ockert says owners should watch for warning signs identified by the American Veterinary Medical Association, including lack of coordination, low energy or appetite, purple discoloration or swelling of the head, reduced egg production, soft-shelled or misshapen eggs, nasal discharge, coughing, sneezing, diarrhea and sudden death.

For salmonella, though, birds may not show any outward symptoms at all. That’s what makes it so easy to underestimate the risk.

Can avian flu spread to humans?

For most backyard chicken owners, the chance of getting avian flu is still low. “It is extremely rare for people to contract it,” Ockert says.

The virus spreads most easily among birds. Ockert says HPAI can move through direct and indirect contact, including through shared water and feed sources, airborne droplets and dust particles that carry the virus through the air. “Waterfowl such as ducks and geese are natural reservoirs for the disease and may carry it with few symptoms,” she explains. “Domestic chickens and turkeys, however, are much more vulnerable; HPAI spreads through flocks quickly, generally with a 100% mortality rate.”

While human infections are rare, they can happen after close exposure to infected birds or contaminated surfaces. That means the people most likely to be at risk are those who handle sick birds, clean coops, work around infected poultry or have prolonged contact with contaminated environments.

Health officials are also watching infections in mammals. In May 2026, the CDC published a report describing evidence of H5N1 infection—a strain of HPAI—in a veterinary professional who had been exposed to an infected domestic cat. The CDC report noted that the risk for cat-to-human transmission is still unknown, so while it’s a developing concern, it’s not proof that bird flu is suddenly spreading easily from pets to people.

Can salmonella spread from chickens to humans?

Yes. Salmonella is the backyard flock risk that’s already making people sick right now.

Humans can pick up the bacteria after touching birds, eggs, feeders, waterers, coop surfaces or anything else in the area where chickens and ducks live and roam. If they then touch their mouth, prepare food or handle children’s items without washing their hands, the bacteria can spread.

The tricky part is that healthy-looking birds can still carry salmonella. “And that salmonella bacteria can be transmitted to humans,” Ockert says. Adult chickens are often carriers and may never show signs of illness. During an acute infection, however, salmonella can cause diarrhea, lethargy, weight loss and reduced egg production in birds. Chicks are more vulnerable and may develop severe diarrhea, become dehydrated and die from the infection.

For humans, salmonella can cause diarrhea, fever, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting and headache. Most healthy adults recover, but severe infections can require hospitalization. Young children, older adults and those with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness. The CDC says more than 25% of people sickened in the current backyard poultry outbreaks are children under the age of 5.

Another concern: Some of the salmonella infections linked to backyard poultry have shown resistance to one or more antibiotics commonly used to treat the illness. That does not mean every case is hard to treat—many people recover without antibiotics—but it can make severe infections more complicated, especially for people at higher risk.

It may sound obvious, but health officials warn against treating backyard birds like pets—especially letting kids cuddle, kiss or snuggle chickens and ducks. That kind of close contact can transfer bacteria from feathers, beaks and droppings to hands, faces and mouths.

Can you get sick from eating backyard eggs or chickens?

The good news? You don’t have to swear off backyard eggs if you already have a flock. The bigger risk is usually handling birds, eggs or contaminated surfaces without good hygiene.

“Properly prepared and cooked poultry products remain safe to consume,” Ockert says.

Her tip: Wash your hands after collecting eggs, keep eggs refrigerated and cook eggs and poultry thoroughly.

What should you do if you own backyard birds?

According to Ockert, “while the two illnesses are not related, the strategies that humans should take to protect themselves are similar.”

If you have a flock of your own and want to keep everyone (human and avian) safe, follow her advice below for what to do—and what to avoid.

What to do

• Wash your hands with soap and hot water before and after handling birds, eggs or coop equipment.
• Keep a dedicated pair of shoes or boots for the chicken coop.
• Supervise young children around backyard birds.
• Keep poultry supplies outside the house.
• Clean and disinfect feeders, waterers, tools and other equipment regularly.
• Remove standing water that may attract wild birds.
• Fence off natural ponds or vegetated areas near coops and pasture spaces.
• Reduce food sources and perching areas for wild birds.
• Cover animal carcasses promptly.
• Plug holes where wild birds may enter coops.
• Limit visitors to your flock.
• Keep visitors who have contact with other birds away from your birds when possible.
• Isolate newly acquired birds for at least 14 days, and monitor them for illness.
• Care for new, isolated or sick birds last.
• Watch for signs of illness, and contact a veterinarian or local agriculture officials if birds appear sick.

What to avoid

• Do not visit neighboring flocks unless you change clothes and footwear afterward.
• Do not kiss, snuggle or cuddle chickens or ducks.

The bottom line: Avian flu and salmonella are real concerns for you and your backyard brood, but by taking the steps above, you can keep yourself and your flock safe—without giving up fresh eggs.

RELATED:

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Why trust us

At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Sources:

• Katie Ockert, Michigan State University Extension community, food and environment educator and instructor in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife; email interview, May 25, 2026
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: “Salmonella Outbreaks Linked to Backyard Poultry”
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: “Ongoing Salmonella outbreaks linked to backyard poultry sickens 150 more people with over a quarter of cases in children under 5 years old”
• Associated Press: “CDC warns of drug-resistant salmonella infections linked to backyard poultry”
• Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: “Serologic Evidence of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus Infection in a Veterinary Professional Exposed to H5N1-Infected Domestic Cats”
• American Veterinary Medical Association: “Avian influenza in pets and backyard flocks”
• USDA: “USDA Questions and Answers: Food Safety and Avian Influenza”
• Animals: “From the Backyard to Our Beds: The Spectrum of Care, Attitudes Toward, and Relationship Types with Chickens in the United States”
• Axios: “People flock to backyard chickens as egg prices spike”
• USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service: “Confirmations of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Commercial and Backyard Flocks”

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The post If 2026 Was Going to Be the Year You Started Raising Backyard Chickens, We Have Bad News appeared first on Reader's Digest.

The case centered on Louisiana’s congressional map, which added a second majority-Black district in 2024. Voters elected Rep. Cleo Fields to Congress that year, but a group sued and the Supreme Court’s majority found the gerrymandered map to be unconstitutional because Louisiana took race into account when drawing the districts. Striking down the map has now opened the door for additional redistricting across the country and could end up diluting the Black vote in the House.

“It means that you have entire communities that can go without having representation,” Cliff Albright, a co-founder of the group Black Voters Matter, told the Associated Press. “It is literally throwing us back to the Jim Crow era unapologetically, and that’s not exaggeration.” The decision hollows out Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which prohibits voting practices or procedures that discriminate on the basis of race, color or membership in certain minority groups. More specifically, it says that jurisdictions can’t use election rules that deny or limit people’s equal opportunity to participate in the political process and elect representatives of their choice.

In the opinion, Justice Samuel Alito said that Section 2 was meant to protect voters from intentional racial discrimination, not discriminatory impacts. “What the court is saying as a result of this Louisiana v. Callais decision is that you can still say that stuff was racist, but you’re going to have to prove that it’s racist,” Emory University political science professor Andra Gillespie told WABE. “And it’s not on the burden of the state to prove that they didn’t harm people disproportionately because of their race.”

We scoured the web for the best news articles for additional context on this major Supreme Court decision, the history of the Voting Rights Act and what it means for voting and minority representation moving forward.

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Before the Voting Rights Act, racial discrimination at the polls was common

Despite the passage of the 15th amendment, which outlawed racial discrimination in voting, in 1870, Black voters have never stopped facing barriers when it came to exercising their right, including being subjected to literacy tests, poll taxes, violence and discrimination. Nearly a century later, this became a major focus of the Civil Rights Movement, prompting marches, protests and voter registration campaigns—during which many activists were murdered or severely beaten.

Discovered on the Library of Congress

The path to the Voting Rights Act was violent and bloody

Activists and organizers like Martin Luther King Jr. campaigned for the Voting Rights Act. On March 7, 1965, what began as a march for voting rights and a protest of the murder of Jimmie Lee Jackson, a 26-year-old Black farmer from Alabama, turned into what’s now known as “Bloody Sunday.”

The march, which took place in Selma, Alabama, was led by a 21-year-old John Lewis (later a member of the U.S. House of Representatives), who was then chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and the Rev. Hosea Williams of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. That day, Alabama state troopers and sheriff’s deputies wielding billy clubs, bullwhips and tear gas attacked the marchers as they crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

The violent attack, which was captured on video and in photos, was so disturbing that it helped turn public opinion toward supporting the proposed Voting Rights Act.

Discovered on PBS

But it finally passed in 1965

President Lyndon B. Johnson made a strong appeal to Congress to pass the Voting Rights Act, and the legislation was signed into law on Aug. 6, 1965. “Today is a triumph for freedom as huge as any victory that has ever been won on any battlefield,” Johnson said at a signing ceremony on Capitol Hill. The Department of Justice began enforcing the law immediately, suing over poll taxes in Alabama, Mississippi, Texas and Virginia.

Discovered on The New York Times

Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act allowed for the creation of majority-minority districts

Section 2 has permitted (and sometimes required) the creation of majority-minority congressional districts, which has been key to the election of Black and Latino representatives to Congress and other political offices. According to one count, roughly 140 House districts are majority-minority districts—around one-third of congressional seats.

“[The Voting Rights Act] has had a tremendous impact in narrowing the gaps between minority voter turnout and White voter turnout,” said Maya Sen, a professor of public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School and a political scientist who has conducted research on the Supreme Court. “In the South, it has been hugely effective in bringing Black voter turnout to levels comparable to, or even exceeding, White voter turnout.”

Discovered on Harvard Kennedy School

The Voting Rights Act now prohibits only intentional discrimination

The majority of the Supreme Court held that Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act was designed to protect voters from intentional discrimination. But historically, Section 2 also prevented the creation of maps that resulted in discrimination—regardless of whether intent could be proven. In her dissent, Justice Elena Kagan said that the bar to show intent is “an almost insurmountable barrier for challenges to any voting rights issues to prove discrimination.”

Discovered on the Associated Press

The majority said voter protections were no longer needed

The justices who eliminated the protections of the Voting Rights Act did so on the basis that Black and White voter turnout had achieved parity in “two of the five most recent Presidential elections.” Technically, this is correct: Black and White voter turnout was essentially equal in 2008 and 2012—the years that Barack Obama ran for president. In the other three most recent elections, White voter turnout surpassed Black voter turnout. Still, Justice Samuel Alito claimed that the Voting Rights Act had achieved its goal and was no longer needed.

Discovered on the Brennan Center

But the data Samuel Alito used in the ruling is misleading

In asserting that the protections of the Voting Rights Act are no longer necessary, Alito used questionable methodology that calculated Black and White voter turnout in Louisiana as a proportion of the total population of each racial group over the age of 18. This can skew the data because the general over-18 population may include non-citizens, people with felony convictions and others who cannot legally vote.

Discovered on The Guardian

The Congressional Black Caucus will likely shrink

The Democratic Party’s Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) has warned that the Supreme Court’s ruling will likely drastically reduce the number of Black representatives. According to CBC chair Yvette Clarke, D-NY, in a worst-case scenario, as many as 19 caucus members could be affected by the upcoming redistricting. “It’s devastating,” she told NBC News. “People have sacrificed so much to make this a more perfect union. And here we are, in 2026, seeing this massive regression in all the gains that have been made. It’s painful.”

Discovered on NBC News

This isn’t the first time the Voting Rights Act has been weakened

In the 2013 case of Shelby County v. Holder, the Supreme Court voted 5–4 to do away with the government’s most effective tool for preventing voting bias: preclearance. That’s the part of the Voting Rights Act that required 15 jurisdictions with histories of voting discrimination, mostly in the South, to get approval from the federal government before changing their election rules. Similar to Louisiana v. Callais, the court’s conservative majority claimed that this mandate was outdated because it didn’t take racial progress into account.

Discovered on the Associated Press

States are already taking action to redraw congressional districts

A week after the Supreme Court’s decision, Tennessee became the first state to pass a new redistricting map eliminating a majority-Black district. It splits Memphis—which is more than 60% Black—into three predominantly White Republican districts. Now, the city where Martin Luther King Jr. made his final plea for minority voting rights, and was assassinated for his efforts, will no longer be represented by Black elected officials.

“Do not dismantle the only Congressional district that provides Black voters in Memphis a fair opportunity to have a voice in our democracy,” Martin Luther King III wrote to Tennessee legislators. “Do not take this nation back to the days of Jim Crow.” The new map also divided Nashville into five districts in a bid to dilute the impact of minority voters. At least four other Southern states—Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and South Carolina—are attempting to redistrict before the midterm elections. Ultimately, this will not only weaken protections for voters but also cause districts to become increasingly partisan.

Discovered on Mother Jones

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Why trust us

At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

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The post The Supreme Court Overturned the Voting Rights Act, but What Does This Actually Mean for Voters—And for America? appeared first on Reader's Digest.

Now, the sport—along with all its heated global rivalries and wild superfandom—is descending on North America. The 2026 FIFA World Cup, the largest in history, will run for 39 days, from June 11 to July 19, and feature matches in 16 host cities. The United States will hold games in 11 cities across the country (78 of the 104 World Cup matches), while Mexico will host in three cities and Canada in two.

We know what you’re thinking: The U.S. kind of seems like an odd choice for a host country. Yes, we certainly have our sports obsessions, from the NFL to MLB, but soccer—or football, as most of the world calls it—has long been more associated with after-school sports programs and youth leagues.

That could all change this summer. America loves nothing more than an over-the-top spectacle, and the World Cup (which the U.S. actually hosted back in 1994) is undergoing a major and, for some fans, controversial makeover. For better or worse, the tournament’s 21st-century North American debut is shaping up to be one for the record books.

So whether you’re a die-hard sports fan or just want to understand what everybody’s even talking about, we’ve rounded up the most interesting facts, controversies and cultural moments surrounding this year’s World Cup. Read on to find out why this summer’s must-watch event is going to be uniquely American.

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Why the World Cup is such a big deal

Scarcity makes the World Cup special. Like the Olympics, it’s held just once every four years, and it’s the culmination of a yearslong process involving more than 200 national teams competing around the world for a shot at glory in the final tournament. After roughly three years of qualifying matches, the massive field is narrowed to just a few dozen teams—this year’s top contenders include Spain, France, Argentina, Brazil and England. The two final victors then head to the coveted main event, to be held this year on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

With so many teams from every corner of the globe competing, calling the World Cup a worldwide sensation is an understatement. The last time the World Cup was held—in Qatar, in 2022—it reached 5 billion fans across all media. Yes, that’s billion with a b. The final game between Argentina and France became the most-watched World Cup final ever, drawing a live audience of nearly 571 million viewers globally. To put that kind of number into an American perspective, the NFL’s biggest game that year, Super Bowl LVI between the Rams and Bengals, averaged just over 112 million viewers—massive by NFL standards, but less than 20% of the World Cup viewership.

Just imagine if American football or baseball fans had to suffer through years of highs and lows, watching and anxiously waiting to see if their favorite team would make it to the championship. That’s what’s happening for soccer fans right now.

The buzz around the 2026 World Cup

Love it or leave it, soccer is going to be pretty inescapable this summer in the U.S., and the head of FIFA, soccer’s governing body, insists it’s a subject that’s about so much more than just sport. “Football is about joy, happiness and smiles, while bringing people together from all over the world to create shared moments for billions of fans,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino recently said. He added that it’s not only “the biggest sporting event on the planet” but also “a chance to invest in something that connects and inspires with a truly global audience.”

On that note, we scoured the internet to find out what’s really landing—and what’s missing the net—with World Cup fans, along with the background and buzz you need to get up to speed on North America’s place in this year’s games.

Prices are causing major sticker shock

We don’t need to tell you that things are pricey in America right now. But sky-high World Cup costs have taken things to a new level. Thanks to dynamic pricing set by FIFA, premium tickets for the World Cup final could set a fan back nearly $33,000 per person! Even an average ticket for a normal match will cost you around $1,000 (though there are some “cheaper” tickets available). Let’s just say some of the host cities are none too pleased. New York and New Jersey’s attorneys general just launched a probe into FIFA about its ticket practices to see whether it violated consumer protection laws.

Hotels in host cities had originally anticipated large crowds and more demand, and they reportedly jacked up rates initially. But fan backlash and sluggish bookings have complicated those overly rosy projections. As Vijay Dandapani, president and CEO of the Hotel Association of New York City, told the Athletic, “it is not the cornucopia that FIFA talked about.”

Read more on USA Today, NPR and The Athletic

The World Cup is getting its first-ever halftime show

Is this the World Cup or the Super Bowl? The most-anticipated soccer match of the last four years will be entertaining in one very American way: For the first time ever, it will feature a halftime show, starring Madonna, Shakira and the K-pop band BTS. Coldplay’s Chris Martin will curate the event, which aims to raise $100 million for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund.

But while the money will go to a good cause, not everyone is thrilled about the glitzy spectacular. Some international fans are complaining that interrupting the game will disrupt the pace of play and take the focus away from the competition and its players.

Read more on FIFA.com and The New York Post

The tournament will be bigger than ever—maybe too big

In past World Cups, 32 teams were split into eight groups of four. Each team played three matches, with the top two teams from each group advancing. That created a 16-team knockout round, which then went into quarterfinals, semifinals and the final championship match. With this year’s World Cup, however, FIFA has expanded the field to 48 teams, taking the total number of matches from 64 to a whopping 104.

Critics point out the expansion could allow weaker teams to progress further, encourage teams to manipulate outcomes by playing for math rather than wins, and strain players due to a heavier schedule. Fans are divided: Some see the added games as a money grab that dilutes the competition, while others say it makes the tournament more inclusive and competitive.

Read more on Reddit and Reuters

Hydration is suddenly controversial

Previously, hydration and cooling breaks were used only in cases of extreme heat, but now they will be universal features in all matches. As with the new halftime show, those opposed to the addition say the scheduled stops, which will last three minutes in each half, affect the flow and rhythm of play and could even potentially influence the outcome of games.

FIFA counters that the change is intended to prioritize players’ well-being. Last summer, temperatures at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 (which involved pro soccer teams instead of national ones), soared to around 100 degrees Fahrenheit—a very real possibility in several North American host cities during this year’s big tournament.

Read more on Reuters and ESPN

Politics and border issues are posing problems

Many international travelers have expressed concern about attending the World Cup, in part due to the changing rules around travel into the U.S. For example, last year, visitors from 50 countries were required to pay travel bonds of up to $15,000 before entering the country. Several of those nations—Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Tunisia—have World Cup teams, raising concerns among fans hoping to see the game in person. The Trump administration has since said it will waive the visa bond requirement for qualifying fans who purchase match tickets.

Other worries surround the potential scrutiny of travelers’ social media histories by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, as well as an increased immigration enforcement presence at airports and an ICE presence at the matches. These and other issues—including the possibility for visitors to be detained by ICE or refused admission to the country at the last minute—have prompted multiple rights groups to issue World Cup travel advisories ahead of the tournament. These issues may also be contributing to lower-than-anticipated travel bookings.

Read more on ESPN and Gothamist

Iran will be taking the field

Well, this is awkward. Despite the war between the U.S. and Iran, the Iranian team will be participating in the World Cup. “They have qualified, and they’re actually quite a good team as well,” said FIFA president Infantino. “They really want to play, and they should play. Sports should be outside of politics.”

However, they will be staying in Mexico and commuting to the U.S. stadiums on the days of their matches. President Trump has discouraged their participation, writing on Truth Social, “I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety.”

Read more on CNN

Americans are still deciding how much they actually care about watching soccer

Whether or not soccer appeals to Americans remains up for debate. According to a Harris Poll, 45% of Americans indicate their interest in the sport is increasing. However, only about a third of the general U.S. population says it plans to watch the World Cup matches, data that’s backed up by both Numerator and Nielsen. However, that figure rises to 67% among self-identified U.S. World Cup soccer fans. Nielsen additionally notes that soccer fans skew younger, with 76% falling into the Millennial or Gen Z categories.

Still, these numbers are low when it comes to sports in the U.S. According to an S&P Global report, more than half of Americans surveyed said they regularly watch football, underscoring that football remains firmly entrenched as our country’s dominant sport.

Read more at The Harris Poll, Nielsen and S&P Global

How you can dive deeper

Want to learn even more about soccer and the World Cup before the games start? We’ve rounded up a few more links to read, watch and listen to so you can get plugged into the action.

• Read, Watch and Listen: Men in Blazers
• Read: We Are the World Cup and The Soccer 100
• Watch: Soccer Meets America
• Listen: Total Soccer Show
• Discuss: r/worldcup subreddit

Where you can watch the World Cup

Fox Sports holds the English-language broadcasting rights in the United States for the 2026 FIFA World Cup games and will air roughly 70 matches on Fox, with an additional 34 matches on FS1. NBCUniversal has exclusive Spanish-language broadcast rights through Telemundo.

Streaming the matches will also be available through the Fox Sports app and Fox streaming platforms, while Spanish-language coverage will stream on Peacock and Telemundo’s digital platforms.

Everyone's Talking About ...

The World Cup

The best way to understand World Cup mania? Tune in!

Watch on Fox One

Why trust us

At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Sources:

• FIFA: “Global Engagement & Audience Report”
• NFL: “Super Bowl LVI averages audience of 112.3 million viewers, is most-watched show in five years”
• FIFA: “Gianni Infantino lauds potential impact of FIFA World Cup 2026 at Washington DC forum”

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The post Everyone’s Talking About the World Cup—Here’s How This Summer’s Biggest Event Will Be Uniquely American, for Better and for Worse appeared first on Reader's Digest.

Well, I couldn’t be more wrong. Birding has really taken flight in the last few years across age groups, especially among younger generations. At the boutique retreat Ocama, above Rincón Bay in Las Galeras on the Dominican Republic’s Samaná Peninsula, birding and nature experience partner Halle Jackson says he’s been amazed by how many guests in their 20s and 30s arrive “already curious and prepared” to spot the more than 300 bird species in the area, often using apps to identify everything from the endemic Hispaniolan woodpecker and broad-billed tody to migratory grasshopper sparrows and black-poll warblers. “Birding has become less of a niche activity and more of a mindful way for travelers to connect with place,” he notes.

Is all this excitement generated by our fine-feathered friends just a fleeting social media fad, or has birding become a trend with true staying power for aficionados of all ages and skill levels? I spoke with Jackson and several other birding experts, as well as a pair of Gen Z and Millennial bird enthusiast brothers, to find out.

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Wait, is bird-watching really a cool-kid hobby now?

Whether they’re driven by peer pressure, FOMO or a genuine love of birding, everyone’s grabbing their binoculars and heading outdoors to take part. And it’s not just a social media fad—the numbers really back it up. According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s 2022 demographic and economic survey on birding (the most comprehensive study to date on wildlife-related recreation), 37% of the population ages 16 and older, or about 96 million people, were birders. The survey defined birders as anyone who had either tried to identify birds around their home or traveled at least a mile away to observe them.

Backyard birders accounted for 91 million people, or 35% of the U.S. population, while those who took trips of at least a mile specifically to bird-watch represented 16% of the population, or 43 million people.

At the time of the survey, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service found that birding skewed older. The average birder was 49 years old, and the hobby was evenly split between men and women. Of the estimated 96 million birders, 23 million were in the 65-plus age group, and 19 million were between 55 and 64, meaning 44% were over age 55. Still, even four years ago, participation rates among younger age groups were also strong, ranging from 30% to 36%.

What’s behind the bird-watching trend?

Gaining momentum around the time of the pandemic’s outdoor-recreation boom, apps like eBird and Merlin Bird ID—as well as Instagram, TikTok and other online communities—helped expand the once-niche offline hobby further into the mainstream, especially with Millennials and digital-native Gen Zers.

Want proof the birding trend is actually a thing—and accelerating? The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, which runs the global citizen-science platform eBird, recently surpassed 2 billion bird sightings submitted on the app by users in 253 countries.

Steve Hale, founder of Open World Explorers, a bird-watching and natural history tour guide operator, and a partner in a new birding program at the Glen House in Gorham, New Hampshire, notes that the Cornell research center’s other wildly popular app, Merlin Bird ID, “struck a chord” with users when it added the ability to identify birds by their vocalizations in 2021. “It’s like Shazam, but for birds,” he says.

These tools make it easier for the average bird enthusiast to pick up the hobby. “People have more ways to engage with birding, including having an app tell them the answer [of what they’re seeing and hearing] or having a social media group or discussion group where people with experience are more than happy to answer questions,” Hale says.

What’s so appealing to young birders?

While phones have become a big tool for the birding community, part of the appeal of the pastime is that it’s still very much an analog activity. “For Gen Z and younger Millennials especially, [bird-watching] feels aligned with a desire to slow down, be present and experience nature in a more intentional way,” Jackson explains.

Florida-based brothers Devin and Quinn Dudley agree. This past spring, Devin, a 32-year-old attorney, threw a birding bachelor party before his destination wedding in the Guatemalan city of Antigua. The goal: spot the country’s national bird, the elusive, brightly colored resplendent quetzal.

“A stereotypical bachelor trip focuses on partying, and I really wanted to incorporate some of the natural beauty of our surroundings into our trip,” he says, explaining that the excursion with his groomsmen and friends meant waking up at 5 a.m. and hiking 6 miles.

The groom’s 27-year-old brother, Quinn, a biologist, says he loved watching the uninitiated in their birding party discover the siblings’ favorite pastime. “There’s a stigma [that bird-watching] is an old-person hobby—people retired with nothing better to do. But it’s actually very thoughtful and intentional for people of all ages who want to be more observant and immersed in the natural world around them.”

It’s also just a lot of fun. “Birding is like a scavenger hunt or an Easter egg hunt, where you can go out and try and find as many different species as you can,” notes Hale. “Sounds a lot like real-life Pokémon GO, doesn’t it? And that was a huge hit with young people.”

Even for non-birders, the hobby’s appeal is that it’s just so darn relaxing. James Lane Jr., owner of Galley Bay Resort & Spa, a property in Antigua with a protected lagoon, mangrove ecosystems and surrounding wetlands that plays host to more than 45 species of birds—including bananaquits, hummingbirds, herons, egrets, doves, frigate birds and the endangered West Indian whistling duck—has noticed an uptick in visitors who are seeking out experiences that help them slow down. “Even guests who wouldn’t consider themselves birders often find that quietly observing wildlife becomes one of the most memorable and restorative parts of their stay,” he says.

What are the benefits of bird-watching?

Birding is a great stress-reliever, and a growing body of research suggests it has broader cognitive benefits. A study on bird-identification experts published in the Journal of Neuroscience showed distinct structural and functional differences in their brain regions involved in memory, attention and visual processing.

Other recent research published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology found that college students who participated in bird-watching reported improved mood and psychological well-being compared with both a nature-walk group and a control group.

In his years of experience as a professional birder, Hale says the pastime has some other benefits as well, such as helping to increase patience (“It’s a lot like fishing,” he explains), perseverance, attention to detail and calmness.

What are some tips for getting into birding?

Whether you’re a novice birder or a longtime expert, there’s always more to discover about the hobby. Ahead are some tips for everyone who wants to up their birding game, from beginners to more advanced bird-watchers.

Use apps, but also go analog

Hale recommends carrying a paperback bird field guide since apps tend to funnel birders toward identifying just one or a few likely matches. “A book will make you leaf through all of the pages and birds for which you are not looking,” he says. “This is learning at its best.”

You’re forced to scrutinize many similar species, including ones that may turn out to be a bird you’re looking for in the future.

Start wherever you are

Birds are almost everywhere, if we look. “At Galley Bay, our lagoon and surrounding natural habitats create an environment where guests can experience Caribbean birdlife in its natural setting while simply enjoying the property,” Lane says. “One of the species that makes the area especially meaningful is the endangered West Indian whistling duck, which reflects the importance of preserving these coastal ecosystems.”

Attract what you want

At home, plant a garden that will get birds’ attention. “To attract birds to your landscape, plant with berries, seeds, nectar and insects in mind,” suggests Crystal Ledezma, a professional birding guide at Riverside Nature Center in Kerrville, Texas. “Start with trees for nesting and insects, shrubs for berries and cover, wildflowers and grasses for seeds and pollinators, and vines that feed birds while softening fences.”

Time your birding

The Ocama property in the Dominican Republic naturally forms part of a wildlife corridor where guests can encounter endemic and migratory birds throughout the grounds and surrounding coastline—and when you go changes what you see. “From November through April, Samaná becomes an important hub for migratory birds, which coincides beautifully with whale-watching season,” Jackson says.

Even in more urban areas, timing matters, and green spaces that attract birds, such as city parks, often sit along key migratory routes.

Share the knowledge

Hale says his best tip for intermediate birders is to start teaching others about the hobby. The reason? When you try to teach something, you identify gaps in your own knowledge and understanding. “This is a great thing,” he says. “Now you need to fill in your gap of understanding so that you can be sure you are disseminating good information.”

Also, he adds, you do not need to name every bird every time: “Sometimes they get away—and you’ll identify it the next time.”

Level up your birding skills

“Reflect on your own strengths and weaknesses and try to work on building strength and confidence,” Hale says. For example, “if you have less experience with identifying birds by voice and song, work on that. Or if you have not much experience with pelagic seabirds, then get on one of the many great pelagic birding tours that are offered by birding clubs or private operators.”

One great way to boost your bird-watching skills? Check out sites like Birds & Blooms, which offers basic explainers and deep dives on all things avian.

Practice, practice, practice

“The more time you spend in nature, the more you will be able to identify [bird species],” Ledezma says. And she underlines the importance of continued learning. “There are over 10,000, species of birds in the world, so you could never know everything,” she says. “Even if you don’t travel out of your home patch, there is always more to learn about the birds around you.”

Keep yourself honest

Hale notes that birders are essentially “collectors” of sightings, building life lists—the cumulative total of all the birds they’ve seen in their lives. “We do not put a bird on our life list unless we were able to identify it for ourselves,” he says.

Make it social

Ledezma advises finding a birding club or joining bird walks, lectures and other events—opportunities that are often more abundant in urban areas. “Birding with others will help you learn from each other,” she says. “Don’t be afraid to ask questions.”

Why trust us

Reader’s Digest has published hundreds of travel stories that help readers explore the world safely, easily and affordably. We regularly cover topics such as the best places to visit (and the best times to visit them), tips and tricks to zoom through airport security, flight-attendant secrets, hotel-room hacks and more. We’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing, and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Sources:

• James Lane Jr., owner of Galley Bay Resort & Spa in Antigua; email interview, May 2026
• Halle Jackson, birding and nature experience partner at Ocama in Samaná, Dominican Republic; email interview, May 2026
• Steve Hale, founder of Open World Explorers and collaborator with the birding program at The Glen House in New Hampshire; email interview, May 2026
• Crystal Ledezma, professional birding guide with the Riverside Nature Center in Kerrville, Texas; email interview, May 2026
• Devin Dudley, attorney and birder; email interview, May 2026
• Quinn Dudley, biologist and birder; email interview, May 2026
• Colombia Birdfair
• All About Birds: “Colombia Birdfair”
• U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: “Birding in the United States: A Demographic and Economic Analysis”
• eBird: “EBird Passes Two Billion Bird Observations”
• The Journal of Neuroscience: “The Tuned Cortex: Convergent Expertise-Related Structural and Functional Remodeling Across the Adult Lifespan”
• Journal of Environmental Psychology: “Birdwatching Linked to Increased Psychological Well-Being on College Campuses”

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Are you looking for new places to celebrate some of the year’s biggest holidays? Ahead, we’ve rounded up classic bucket-list destinations and off-the-beaten-path picks across the country where you can mark some of the year’s most exciting holidays. Read on to find 22 U.S. destinations that are well worth a spot on your must-visit list.

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New Year’s Eve

When: Dec. 31

The classic celebration: New York City

No New Year’s Eve celebration in America—perhaps even the world—is more iconic than the ball drop in Times Square. Each Dec. 31, more than a million people pack into Midtown Manhattan, many arriving hours early to snag a spot, to watch the glowing crystal ball descend at midnight. Music soars, confetti rains overhead and celebrities perform live. While plenty has changed since the tradition began in 1907, it still feels like the gold standard for ringing in the new year.

The off-the-beaten-path pick: Plymouth, Wisconsin

Considered among the nation’s quirkiest New Year’s Eve traditions, the Sartori Big Cheese Drop in Plymouth, Wisconsin, pays homage to the town’s reputation as the Cheese Capital of the World. As part of the festivities, attendees can enjoy live music, free hot cocoa and cider and, fittingly, a complimentary cheese table. But the real draw is the countdown and lowering of a giant wedge of Sartori cheese at 10 p.m.—two hours before the official midnight countdown so families can celebrate a little earlier.

Mardi Gras

When: The Tuesday before Ash Wednesday

The classic celebration: New Orleans

New Orleans is practically synonymous with Mardi Gras (also known as Fat Tuesday). In the weeks leading up to the holiday, the Big Easy comes alive with elaborate parades—from the colorful Krewe of Endymion parade in Mid-City to the family-friendly Krewe of Barkus parade (featuring dogs in costume) through the French Quarter—plus masked balls and loads of live music.

Visitors can also catch beads and doubloons tossed from floats, snack on slices of colorful king cake (traditionally baked with a tiny plastic baby hidden inside that’s said to bring good luck to whoever finds it) and dance to late-night jazz performances throughout the city.

The off-the-beaten-path pick: Mobile, Alabama

Most travelers don’t realize Mobile hosted America’s first Mardi Gras celebration decades before New Orleans made the holiday famous. More than 300 years later, the coastal Alabama city still honors that history with longstanding traditions, royal courts and community parades that wind through downtown streets. Visitors can also learn more about the holiday’s origins at the Mobile Carnival Museum, which features elaborate costumes, float designs and Mardi Gras memorabilia dating back generations.

Valentine’s Day

When: Feb. 14

The classic celebration: Las Vegas

Valentine’s Day calls for a romantic weekend getaway, and what better place to celebrate than Las Vegas? Known for its over-the-top glitz and glamour, Sin City offers so much more than casinos. Take your pick of elegant eateries, including the Eiffel Tower Restaurant, which serves classic French fare in an elegant setting overlooking the Strip and the Bellagio fountains. Couples can also take a (free!) romantic stroll through the Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens or glide through the canals on a gondola ride at The Venetian for a taste of Italy without the long-haul flight.

The off-the-beaten-path pick: Valentine, Nebraska

In the aptly named town of Valentine, Nebraska, travelers can send Valentine’s Day cards straight from the Valentine Post Office, which each year offers special holiday-themed postmarks and hand stamps. Before or after mailing your letters, explore the area’s outdoor attractions, from frozen waterfall hikes at nearby Smith Falls State Park to stargazing at Merritt Reservoir, one of the country’s top International Dark Sky destinations.

St. Patrick’s Day

When: March 17

The classic celebration: Chicago

When it comes to the top St. Patrick’s Day celebrations on this side of the Atlantic, few do it bigger than Chicago. Every year, crowds gather downtown to watch the Chicago River transform into a vivid shade of emerald before the city’s massive parade kicks off. Between the packed Irish pubs, live music and festive crowds dressed head to toe in green, the Windy City turns St. Patrick’s Day into an all-day celebration.

The off-the-beaten-path pick: Hot Springs, Arkansas

For a more unexpected St. Paddy’s Day destination, head to Hot Springs, Arkansas, home to what organizers proudly call the world’s shortest St. Patrick’s Day parade. Every year, crowds pack onto the tiny 98-foot stretch of Bridge Street for a celebration complete with live music, festive costumes and plenty of over-the-top fun. What started as a quirky local event has since grown into one of the town’s most beloved traditions.

Cinco de Mayo

When: May 5

The classic celebration: Los Angeles

As its name suggests, Cinco de Mayo—which translates directly to “Fifth of May”—is celebrated each year on May 5, commemorating Mexico’s victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. Unknown to many, Los Angeles is home to one of the biggest Cinco de Mayo celebrations in the country: the annual Fiesta Broadway, which has been going strong for more than 30 years. This massive street festival features live music, dancing, cultural performances and, of course, plenty of mouthwatering Mexican food to go around.

The off-the-beaten-path pick: Denver

You may not presume a mountain town is the best place to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, but Denver proves otherwise. Each Cinco de Mayo, the Mile High City pays homage to its large Latino population with a lively, family-friendly celebration filled with Latin music and dancing, a colorful parade and festive events like taco-eating contests. Visitors can also stroll through Civic Center Park, where vendors sell folk art and other handcrafted goods.

Memorial Day

When: The last Monday of May

The classic celebration: Washington, D.C.

With its storied history, our nation’s capital is tailor-made for Memorial Day. Visitors can attend the National Memorial Day Parade, concerts on the National Mall and moving ceremonies honoring veterans at Arlington National Cemetery. The city’s many monuments and memorials add even more significance to the holiday weekend, and many of the city’s attractions are free, making the district a welcome, budget-friendly option in today’s tough economic times.

The off-the-beaten-path pick: Waterloo, New York

As the birthplace of Memorial Day, Waterloo, New York, in the Finger Lakes region, is by far one of the most underrated places to commemorate the holiday. The town pulls out all the stops, including a fireworks display, a 5K run, a car show and patriotic ceremonies honoring those who’ve served. For those looking to dive even deeper into the history, visit the Memorial Day Museum.

Juneteenth

When: June 19

The classic celebration: Galveston, Texas

There’s perhaps no more meaningful place to celebrate Juneteenth than Galveston, where Union troops arrived on June 19, 1865, to announce the end of slavery in Texas. Today, the city hosts parades, concerts, film screenings, historical reenactments and educational events honoring the holiday’s origins. In between programming, visitors can explore historic sites connected to Black history and emancipation throughout the area, including the Juneteenth Monument at Ashton Villa and the Absolute Equality Mural & Juneteenth Historical Marker.

The off-the-beaten-path pick: Tulsa, Oklahoma

Tulsa offers a powerful, community-focused Juneteenth celebration centered on the Greenwood District, once known as Black Wall Street and now home to the Greenwood Rising Black Wall Street History Center. Visitors to Oklahoma in June can head to the Tulsa Juneteenth Festival, a multiday celebration that honors the historic neighborhood, where food, music and a 5K and 1-mile run bring the community together.

Fourth of July

When: July 4

The classic celebration: Boston

Few cities are more closely tied to America’s founding than Boston, making it an especially perfect Independence Day getaway. Every year, crowds gather along the Charles River for the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular, a beloved tradition featuring live orchestral music, patriotic performances and, as its name suggests, a massive fireworks display over the harbor. Of course, visitors should also make time for Boston’s 2.5-mile-long Freedom Trail, which connects 16 historic sites tied to the American Revolution, including Paul Revere’s House, the Old North Church and Faneuil Hall.

The off-the-beaten-path pick: Bristol, Rhode Island

For a classic small-town Fourth of July celebration, head to Bristol, Rhode Island, home of the oldest continuous Independence Day celebration in the country. The festivities date back to 1785 and include concerts, patriotic ceremonies, a waterfront parade and plenty of red, white and blue decorations lining the centuries-old streets.

Halloween

When: Oct. 31

The classic celebration: Salem, Massachusetts

Few places embrace Halloween quite like Salem. Every October, the historic town leans fully into its witch-trial past with haunted happenings, ghost tours, costume parades and spooky events that take over the city for the entire month. Visitors can explore museums dedicated to the infamous 1692 witch trials, tour historic cemeteries and join crowds of costumed revelers wandering the decorated streets late into the night.

The off-the-beaten-path pick: Anoka, Minnesota

Anoka proudly calls itself the Halloween Capital of the World and has been celebrating the holiday since the 1920s. It’s worth noting, though, that the town’s festivities skew more toward the wholesome than the spooky, with family-friendly programming like pumpkin-carving contests, parades, costume balls and game nights throughout the entire month of October.

Thanksgiving

When: The fourth Thursday of November

The classic celebration: Plymouth, Massachusetts

For a Thanksgiving celebration rooted in history, it’s hard to beat Plymouth. Long associated with America’s first Thanksgiving, the coastal Massachusetts town embraces the holiday with events like America’s Hometown Thanksgiving Parade, historical reenactments, harvest-themed events and living-history experiences at Plimoth Patuxet Museums, where visitors can also tour the Mayflower II. Add in historic sites like Plymouth Rock and the towering National Monument to the Forefathers, and you’ve got yourself an epic Thanksgiving celebration.

The off-the-beaten-path pick: Jamestown, Virginia

History lovers looking for a less-crowded Thanksgiving destination should head to Jamestown, where one of the earliest recorded English Thanksgiving observances in North America took place in 1619. Today, visitors can explore Historic Jamestowne and nearby Colonial Williamsburg while experiencing harvest festivals, colonial reenactments and cooking demos that bring early American history to life. Tip: Skip the cooking entirely and enjoy a Thanksgiving feast at spots like Christiana Campbell’s Tavern and King’s Arms Tavern.

Christmas

When: Dec. 25

The classic celebration: New York City

Come Christmastime, New York City decks its halls—er, streets—with gusto worthy of a holiday movie set. Visitors flock to Rockefeller Center to see the towering Christmas tree and ice-skating rink, then browse department store window displays and sparkling lights that turn Midtown Manhattan into a winter wonderland. There’s also the Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring the Rockettes and an abundance of holiday markets selling seasonal treats around nearly every corner.

The off-the-beaten-path pick: Santa Claus, Indiana

With a name like Santa Claus, you know this tiny town in Indiana fully embraces the holiday season. Every December, visitors can experience the Santa Claus Christmas Celebration, featuring a jam-packed calendar of family festivities, holiday parades, chestnut roasting, light displays and, of course, appearances from Santa himself. Plus, don’t miss the famous Santa Claus Post Office, where volunteers help answer thousands of letters sent to Santa from children around the world.

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Ask Julian Shapiro-Barnum about that indefinable something, and he’ll tell you exactly where to find it: the playground.

Shapiro-Barnum is the creator of Recess Therapy, the wildly popular TikTok series where he wanders into parks and playgrounds and asks kids the kinds of questions adults usually reserve for therapists and philosophy professors—and gets answers that are somehow better than anything you’d hear in either setting. The videos go viral constantly, and it’s easy to see why. There is something both deeply funny and achingly moving about watching a 6-year-old explain, with complete confidence, the correct way to handle a breakup.

I’m 17 years older than my sister Kathryn, and I still remember her comforting me during a particularly ugly college breakup. “I like James because he shares,” she said, referring to her preschool boyfriend with complete authority. “You need a boy who shares.” She was 3 years old. And she was so right.

I thought about her advice a lot. Then, before I got engaged, I introduced her to my now-husband and asked what she thought. She studied him carefully and asked bluntly whether he was a good sharer. He said yes. She shrugged and told me he could stay. I married him. And now, as a mom of five kids, I have approximately 24 hours a day of evidence that children know more about life than we think. So why do we forget that?

“Kids are not aliens,” Shapiro-Barnum says. “We all were kids—we all are still, to some extent, kids.”

Now, after years of playground dispatches and hundreds of interviews, Shapiro-Barnum has written a book, How to Grow Up Without Becoming a Grown-Up, that’s a love letter to the kind of unfiltered, unselfconscious brilliance that adults tend to forget they’re capable of. I talked to him about the biggest lessons he’s drawn from all those conversations.

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The wisdom of youth

The most surprising thing about spending years interviewing children, Shapiro-Barnum says, isn’t that they’re wise. It’s how much of their wisdom happened off-camera.

“I was starting to feel like there were so many amazing things that were happening when the cameras weren’t rolling,” he says. “It wasn’t just the brilliant things the kids were saying; it was more than that. It was the way they were acting, the way they were dealing with their feelings, the way they were navigating their relationships with their families and their friends.”

What he kept noticing, above all, was that kids are fundamentally freer than adults. And not because their lives are easier. “Being a kid is really hard in a lot of ways,” he says. “It’s not just fun all the time. It’s not sunshine and rainbows.” But kids operate with less accumulated baggage, and that makes all the difference.

“I think kids have less nuance than adults do and, in that, are more free,” Shapiro-Barnum explains. “They are freer to see solutions to issues that we couldn’t fathom solving. They are free to love more confidently in less complicated ways. They’re free to build friendships faster and have less barriers between them and their ideas.”

Adults, he says, have just as much capacity for all of this—more, actually, because we have more agency and opportunity to act on it. We’ve simply forgotten that it’s there.

The forgetting, he found, runs deeper than expected. “The most surprising part of the project is how far childhood feels from so many adults, and from myself,” he says. “A lot of adults talk about children as if they are these foreign beings. And they talk about their own childhood as if it was another lifetime, like their inner child is something that has to be accessed. That shocked me.”

His counterargument is the thesis of the whole book: “Your childishness is always closer than you think.”

The value of tapping back into your childishness, he says, isn’t just sentimental. “I think the value is ease, happiness, deeper joy, more fulfilling hobbies and a richer life, period,” he says. “Taking the methodology and practicum of childhood and applying it to an adult person should be an everyday practice. There is nothing to lose from being more curious, loving, open, imaginative and more active in one’s life.”

The secret to happiness, according to kids

In How to Grow Up Without Becoming a Grown-Up, Shapiro-Barnum distills the wisdom of hundreds of kids into practical guidance that tired, overscheduled adults can actually use. Here are some of the best pieces of life advice, straight from the source.

You don’t have to be strong all the time

When Shapiro-Barnum asked 8-year-old Sloane for her best advice on being a boss, she delivered a speech that would embarrass most executive coaches. In full: “Even bosses cry. You need someone to lean on even if you’re an adult. It’s OK to be scared and show it. So, I guess, really probably stick with your friends and family because they’re who will be with you until the end. And if you’re ever feeling sad, find someone to lean on. Even if they are an adult and you think adults aren’t supposed to have strong feelings. Blah blah blah blah blah. That’s a stereotype. Adults can cry too.”

But in all seriousness, there is real wisdom here—especially for anyone who has spent years trying to project competence by pretending they’re fine when they really, deeply are not. Research consistently shows that having a solid support system and leaning on them when you need help is one of the most powerful predictors of lifetime happiness. Vulnerability isn’t weakness.

Try it: The next time you’re struggling—at work, at home, wherever—resist the instinct to white-knuckle your way through it alone. Send a text. Call a friend. Tell someone you’re having a hard time. Ask for a hug.

Say what you need

When Shapiro-Barnum asked elementary schooler Avery for her best advice for adults, she delivered what might be the most efficient piece of relationship guidance ever recorded: “Get a husband who cooks.”

You could spend years in couples therapy unpacking communication styles and attachment theory. Or you could just listen to Avery. She’s not wrong. The equitable division of domestic labor is one of the most reliable predictors of long-term relationship satisfaction, and the older you get, the more you realize that the seemingly small decisions—who makes dinner, who handles logistics, who carries the invisible mental load—get exhausting fast. Whether you’re choosing a partner or renegotiating the terms of an existing relationship, getting specific about what you need is not high-maintenance. It is, per Avery, simply good planning.

Try it: Be honest and open about what you need from your partner. Don’t make them read your mind or set them up to fail with expectations they can never meet. Do return the favor by asking what they need.

Make your space more joyful

Kiara has strong opinions about adult bedroom decor. Specifically, she believes we have failed spectacularly. “Adults need to have cooler beds,” she said. “Adults have just beds. I’ve seen them. They’re just big beds. They don’t even have cool sheets. Adults should have beds with slides and staircases.”

The slide-and-staircase bed does raise certain logistical questions—mostly involving aging joints and building permits—but the underlying point is a good one. Adults tend to strip the joy right out of their living spaces in the name of looking like adults. Neutral walls, practical furniture, everything painted in Millennial Greige. Because we’re so worried about looking stylish or put together, we overlook elements that spark delight. (Looking at your home, Kim Kardashian.) Adulthood, aesthetically, is very often just a practical beige sectional and walls painted an inoffensive color probably named “Resale Value.”

Try it: What if you went the other direction? You don’t have to construct a loft bed with a fireman’s pole (although no judgment), but try something that makes your environment actually fun to inhabit. Hobbies and playful pursuits genuinely improve well-being and lower stress, so why not pull out your Star Wars Lego set or Lisa Frank drawings and display them proudly?

Build friendships fast (and stop overthinking it)

One of the things Shapiro-Barnum has observed across hundreds of playground interviews is how efficiently kids form bonds. A kid who didn’t know another kid’s name 10 minutes ago is now their best friend, co-founder of an informal rock collection business and emergency contact. There’s no runway. There’s barely any small talk. They simply decide, with total confidence, that they’re friends—and then they are.

Adults, he points out, have constructed a lot of unnecessary barriers to this. We overthink, waiting for just the right moment, while we passively hope that friendship will just happen to us, rather than treating it as something we actively build.

“They are free to build friendships faster and have less barriers between them and their ideas,” Shapiro-Barnum says.

Try it: I know, I know, making and keeping friends as an adult is much harder than it was in elementary school. But kids are a useful reminder that a lot of those barriers are self-imposed. You can introduce yourself. You can suggest plans. You can skip the part where you spend three weeks wondering if the other person even likes you and just act as if they do. The success rate is higher than you’d think.

Build a cardboard box fort (literally and figuratively)

When was the last time you just let your imagination run wild? Shapiro-Barnum is particularly struck by kids’ relationships with their own imaginations. For children, there is no ceiling on what’s possible, and they haven’t yet learned to preemptively edit themselves. A kid with a cardboard box doesn’t see a cardboard box; they see a castle, a rocket ship, a time machine, a submarine or a nice napping spot. (And their disappearance into said cardboard castle, rocket ship, time machine or submarine will then scare their parents witless when they can’t find them. Ask me how I know.)

Adults, by contrast, often kill their best ideas before they’ve made it out of their own heads. We have become so practiced at anticipating why something won’t work that we skip straight to the obstacles and never spend any time with the possibility.

“They imagine bigger,” Shapiro-Barnum says simply.

Try it: The fix isn’t complicated. Simply start imagining bigger—and not just in the grand, vision-board sense but also in the everyday sense of letting yourself follow an idea somewhere before you shut it down. (And it doesn’t have to end with some new way to make money or be productive!) Nurturing imagination has real cognitive and creative benefits all on its own. Start by asking yourself: What would you do if you approached your next problem the way a kid approaches a cardboard box? And if you need to build a cardboard-box fort to sit in to think about it, do it.

Love more confidently

Here is one that tends to hit adults right in the chest: Kids love without a lot of asterisks. They tell you they like you. They hold your hand on the playground without performing a full cost-benefit analysis. They are not hedging their bets or managing expectations or leaving themselves a tasteful exit. They are just in it.

“Kids are free to love more confidently in less complicated ways,” Shapiro-Barnum says.

Somewhere in the process of growing up, a lot of us learned to love with one foot out the door. We hold back, stay a little guarded, dole out warmth in careful doses, wait for the other person to act first. It feels like self-protection, but Shapiro-Barnum would argue it’s more like self-deprivation.

Try it: The practical version of this isn’t throwing all caution to the wind—it’s more about the small moments of connection you routinely withhold because you’re afraid you’ll be “too much.” The “I love you” you thought but didn’t say. The compliment you gave in your head but not out loud. The check-in text you almost sent, then didn’t. Say “I love you,” give the compliment, send the text.

Take your silly hobbies very, very seriously

One of the most consistent themes across Shapiro-Barnum’s work is that kids do not do anything half-heartedly. From ages 4 to 10, my oldest son was into trains—and I mean INTO TRAINS. He researched them, watched them, talked about them (incessantly), even slept with them. We had to laminate his Thomas the Tank poster because he insisted on cuddling with it every night.

It’s not just my son. There is no such thing as a casual hobby in a child’s world. There is only complete and total commitment.

Adults, meanwhile, tend to treat their fun as optional extras: nice when they happen but easily sacrificed for work, responsibilities or the vague guilt that we should probably be doing something more productive. We squeeze joy into the margins when we can find them and then wonder why we feel depleted.

Try it: Get a hobby and enjoy the heck out of it. Schedule it into your life. Make friends who like to talk about it as much as you do. And whatever you do, resist the temptation to turn your hobby into your side hustle. Kids aren’t doing their hobbies to make money; they do it because they love them, and you should too.

Shapiro-Barnum’s argument is simple: Stop treating childlike engagement in your own life as something to grow out of. “There is everything to be gained from acting like a child and nothing to be lost,” he says.

That might be the most important sentence in this entire article. And I say that as someone who owns a very serious, very adult, very sensible bed—and is now seriously reconsidering the slide option. How fun would that be?!

Get the Book

How to Grow Up Without Becoming a Grown-Up

For more kid wisdom that just might change your life, check out Julian Shapiro-Barnum's book.

Shop on Amazon

Why trust us

At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Sources:

• Julian Shapiro-Barnum, creator of Recess Therapy and author of How to Grow Up Without Becoming a Grown-Up; interview May 19, 2026
• Recess Therapy on TikTok

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The post How to Live a More Fulfilling Life (According to Some Really Wise Kids) appeared first on Reader's Digest.

While this cleaning combo gets the job done, the hose has always been my biggest frustration. It snakes across the water, gets in the way during swims, tangles with the skimmer and occasionally disconnects from the wall. So when I had the opportunity to test the Beatbot Sora 70, a cordless robotic pool cleaner that promises to handle multiple cleaning tasks in a single device, I was curious whether it could streamline my routine.

We Tried It

Beatbot Sora 70

An all-in-one cordless robotic pool cleaner designed to vacuum debris, scrub walls and waterlines, and skim the pool's surface.

Shop on Beatbot

What is the Beatbot Sora 70?

While many of the best pool vacuum cleaners do an excellent job cleaning the pool floor, they often come with long hoses and other tradeoffs.

That’s where the Beatbot Sora 70 comes in. Rather than relying on a hose or connection to the pool’s filtration system, this cordless robotic cleaner is designed to handle multiple cleaning tasks all on its own. It vacuums debris from the floor, scrubs walls and waterlines, and even skims floating leaves from the surface.

The Sora 70 uses smart navigation to move throughout the pool and can be monitored and scheduled through the Beatbot app. By combining floor cleaning, wall scrubbing and surface skimming in a single unit, this smart pool cleaner is designed to simplify pool care while reducing clutter and freeing up more space to actually enjoy the water.

Beatbot Sora 70 pool cleaner features

• Complete pool coverage: Cleans the pool floor, walls, waterline, surface, steps and shallow platforms with at least 8 inches of water.
• Cordless design: Operates independently without hoses, suction lines or connections to the pool’s filtration system.
• JetPulse water surface cleaning: Twin jets help funnel floating debris toward the intake basket for more efficient surface skimming.
• 6,800 GPH suction power: Designed to collect everything from large leaves to fine sand in a single pass.
• SonicSense AI ultrasonic obstacle avoidance: Dual ultrasonic sensors and AI-powered navigation help the robot avoid obstacles and navigate tight spaces.
• Five cleaning modes: Standard, Surface, Floor, Pro and Eco.
• 10,000 mAh battery: Provides up to 7 hours of surface skimming or up to 5 hours of floor cleaning on a single charge.
• 6-liter debris basket: Includes a large 6-liter, 150-micron filter basket for everyday cleaning, with an optional 3-micron ultra-fine filter available for even smaller particles.
• App and offline control: Operate the robot through the Beatbot app or onboard buttons. The app features scheduling, battery monitoring, cleaning records, Remote Mode navigation and one-tap retrieval.
• Smart water-surface parking: Automatically returns to the pool’s edge at the end of a cleaning cycle or when battery levels run low for easy retrieval.
• Three-year full replacement protection: Includes three years of coverage with full unit replacement.

How we tested it

Before I even dropped the Beatbot Sora 70 into the pool, I was reminded why I wanted to test it in the first place.

When I stepped outside, I was greeted by a familiar sight: my solar skimmer and pool vacuum cleaner locked in what can only be described as an aquatic tango. The skimmer had become caught on the cleaner’s hose, pulling it just enough to disconnect the cleaner from the pool wall. If you’re a pool owner, you’ve probably experienced a similar scene at some point.

Needless to say, I was more than ready to see whether the Beatbot Sora 70 could simplify my pool-cleaning routine—and maybe even eliminate the need for that troublesome hose altogether.

Set-up and app experience

Inside the box, I found a quick-start guide that clearly outlined the robot’s components, charging process, app setup and cleaning modes, along with a more detailed user manual and a retrieval tool that resembles a pirate’s hook for lifting the robot from the pool.

The Beatbot Sora 70 arrived well-protected, with molded packaging and protective wrapping that kept everything secure during shipping. One thing I noticed immediately was its weight. At roughly 23 pounds, the Sora 70 isn’t exactly lightweight—a detail worth noting since you’ll be removing it from the pool between cleaning cycles.

To prepare for testing, I began charging the robot using the included charging cable and downloaded the Beatbot app. The unit arrived with about 45% battery remaining and reached a full charge in about two hours. Downloading the app, connecting to Wi-Fi and pairing the robot were all quick and intuitive. The app also allows you to further customize the cleaning experience based on your pool’s shape, surface material and sanitation system.

Although you can operate the Sora 70 directly from the robot itself, I quickly found the app to be the more practical option since it allowed me to monitor battery life, switch between cleaning modes and manually navigate the robot during surface cleaning.

With the robot fully charged and connected, it was time to take it for a swim.

Cleaning performance

Floor, walls and waterline

For my initial test, I selected Standard Mode, which cleans the pool floor, walls and waterline. The robot also offers:

• Surface Mode for skimming floating debris
• Floor Mode for floor-only cleaning
• Pro Mode, which combines floor, wall, waterline and surface cleaning into a single cycle
• Eco Mode, an energy-saving setting designed for routine maintenance between deeper cleans

Because my pool already receives regular upkeep, I wasn’t looking for a dramatic before-and-after transformation. Instead, I wanted to see whether the Sora 70 could maintain the same level of cleanliness while simplifying my overall pool-care routine (and potentially saving me some money in the process).

After lowering the robot into the pool, I watched it sink slowly to the bottom, where it paused briefly to calibrate before beginning the cleaning cycle. Thankfully, the quick-start guide had already prepared me for this part of the process. A few moments later, the robot began its first cleaning pass.

My pool’s rock features provided an immediate test for the Sora 70. Several rocks extend directly into the pool walls, creating uneven surfaces and tight corners that could challenge many robotic cleaners. My pool also includes a tucked-away loveseat area along with multiple steps. The robot navigated those spaces with ease and climbed nearly every reachable surface. Only the top step remained untouched because the robot requires at least 8 inches of water to operate.

Unlike my traditional hose-connected cleaner, which mostly sticks to the pool floor and only climbs partway up the walls, the Sora 70 repeatedly climbed all the way to the waterline. Once there, it slowed down and spent extra time scrubbing before continuing its route. Since my current cleaner rarely reaches that area, the difference stood out immediately—especially around the waterline where residue and buildup tend to collect over time.

Many Beatbot pool cleaner reviews highlight the robot’s S-shaped cleaning pattern. In my pool, the route looked a little less uniform, likely because of the pool’s unusual shape and rock features. Still, the robot consistently covered the floor, walls, steps and tucked-away seating area during each cleaning cycle.

After roughly three hours—the estimated runtime displayed in the app—the cleaning cycle ended. The Sora 70 surfaced, moved to the side of the pool and parked itself while draining excess water, making it noticeably lighter and easier to retrieve.

Surface

Next, I switched to Surface Mode. Almost immediately, the robot transitioned into skimming mode and began collecting floating debris from the water’s surface. With several trees surrounding my backyard, leaves and flower petals regularly drift into the pool, so the robot had plenty of opportunities to prove itself.

As the Sora 70 moved across the surface, its dual-jet propulsion system created a noticeable funnel effect, corraling leaves and flower petals inward. While my solar skimmer typically handles day-to-day surface cleanup, the Sora 70 worked more quickly by grabbing debris from beyond its immediate path.

That said, there were a few instances in which I saw leaves pushed away from the robot’s jets rather than drawn toward the intake. The feature seemed most effective along the pool’s edges, where it helped sweep debris away from the sides and into the collection basket. The app also includes a Remote Mode that lets you manually steer the robot toward specific areas for targeted surface cleaning.

By the end of testing, the Sora 70 had successfully cleaned the floor, climbed the walls, scrubbed the waterline and skimmed the surface. While my existing setup already kept the pool clean, the robot demonstrated that it could perform many of those same tasks in a single, cordless unit.

Maintenance and charging

After each cleaning cycle, I gave the Sora 70 a few minutes to self-drain before lifting it out of the pool. Once I emptied the debris basket and gave it a quick rinse, I allowed the robot to dry before connecting the charging cable to a standard outlet. Beatbot recommends charging and storing the robot indoors in a cool, dry location, which is exactly what I did between cleaning sessions.

Thanks to its large 6-liter debris basket, the Sora 70 collected a surprising amount of leaves, flower petals, twigs and other debris before needing to be emptied. During testing, emptying the basket only took a minute or two and quickly became part of the routine.

I also appreciated that the Beatbot app includes a dedicated maintenance section with cleaning recommendations for the filter basket, sensors, roller brushes and other key components. Having those instructions readily available made it easy to stay on top of routine maintenance without digging through the user manual.

Once connected to the charger, the Sora 70 takes about 4.5 hours to reach a full charge. According to Beatbot, a single charge can provide up to 7 hours of surface skimming or up to 5 hours of floor cleaning, depending on the selected cleaning mode. The robot also automatically returns to the pool’s edge when the battery drops below 12%, making it easy to retrieve when it’s time to recharge.

Pros

• Combines floor, wall, waterline and surface cleaning in one device
• Cordless design eliminates hoses and tangles
• Large 6-liter basket
• Multiple cleaning modes for different needs
• App scheduling and remote-control functionality
• Automatic parking features simplify retrieval
• Strong wall-climbing and waterline scrubbing performance

Cons

• At nearly 23 pounds, it might be heavy for some users
• Can’t operate in water less than 8 inches deep

Final verdict

After a few weeks of testing, the Beatbot Sora 70 proved that a cordless robotic cleaner really can replace my hose-connected vacuum. Not only did it handle floor cleaning with ease, but its ability to climb walls and actively scrub the waterline gave it an advantage over my previous setup.

For my pool, I’ll still keep my weekly pool service to manage chemical maintenance and water testing. And because surface debris is a near-constant battle in my backyard, I’ll likely continue using my solar-powered skimmer between deeper cleaning cycles. That said, pool owners with different layouts, debris levels or maintenance routines may find the Sora 70 capable of handling an even larger share of their overall pool care on its own.

What the Sora 70 did eliminate was the most frustrating part of my setup: the long floating hose constantly tangling with my skimmer, drifting across the pool and frequently disconnecting from the wall. By the end of testing, my pool looked just as clean—but with far less equipment floating in it.

Where to buy

We Tried It

Beatbot Sora 70

An all-in-one cordless robotic pool cleaner designed to vacuum debris, scrub walls and waterlines, and skim the pool's surface.

Shop on Beatbot

You can purchase the Beatbot Sora 70 directly through the brand’s website, or on Walmart and Amazon. It retails for $1,499, but this model does occasionally go on sale. When it does, you can save upwards of $300.

FAQ

How do you use a Beatbot pool cleaner?

After charging the robot, users can select a cleaning mode in the Beatbot app or via onboard controls before placing it in the pool. Depending on the model, Beatbot cleaners can clean the floor, walls, waterline and surface without relying on hoses or connections to the pool’s filtration system. Once the cleaning cycle ends, the robot returns to the edge of the pool for retrieval and recharging.

Are Beatbot pool cleaners good?

Beatbot pool cleaners stand out for their cordless designs, smart navigation technology and ability to combine multiple cleaning tasks into a single robot. While features vary by model, many Beatbot pool cleaner reviews highlight strong wall-climbing performance, waterline scrubbing, app connectivity and surface skimming capabilities. Beatbot cleaners are generally best suited for pool owners looking for a more automated, all-in-one cleaning experience.

How much is a Beatbot pool cleaner?

Beatbot offers several different robotic pool cleaners across its Sora and AquaSense series. Entry-level models like the Sora 10 start around $700, while premium options in the AquaSense lineup can climb well above $4,000 depending on the features included. The Sora 70 falls somewhere in the middle, offering cordless operation, surface skimming, wall climbing and app controls at a more approachable price point than some of Beatbot’s flagship models.

Sponsored

The post I Swapped My Old Pool Cleaner for the Beatbot Sora 70—And I’m Never Going Back appeared first on Reader's Digest.

This year’s theme has an unexpected origin story. Delaware’s scrapple was a standout contender in last year’s comfort food conversation, but our editors ultimately decided it didn’t quite belong there. (Let’s just say it raised more questions than comfort.) Still, it stuck with us—and found a much better home at the breakfast table, where it helped inspire this year’s focus. But America the Tasty is just one part of the story.

Below, we’re sharing a few of the other standout features from this issue—inspiring and unexpected tales that capture the heart of the season and the people behind them. Consider this a small taste of what you’ll find inside.

Get Reader’s Digest’s Read Up newsletter for more heartwarming stories, pets, fun facts, humor, travel and tech all week long.

• 13 Readers Share the Moments That Make Them Feel the Most American
  This one was all about you, and the little things that make people feel proudly American. From the incredible mix of cultures that make this country so unique to the magic and nostalgia of Disney World, these stories capture the memories and traditions that feel straight out of the American dream.
  
• What’s Your Greatest Wish for America?
  From kindness and community to equality, hope and helping one another, readers opened up about what they truly want for the country. Their wishes are a perfect reminder of what America’s 250th birthday is really all about—building a brighter future for the generations to come.
• Forget Destination Weddings—The Latest Travel Trend Extends to Divorce Parties, Midlife Crises and Even Funerals
  Ever heard of booking a trip just to celebrate your divorce? Believe it or not, people are doing exactly that. We dove into why divorce vacations and other life-reset getaways are suddenly everywhere, and why treating yourself to a fresh start could be the best thing for you.
• Wearable Tech Can Keep Us on Track, but It Also Has a Dark Side—Here’s How to Use It Wisely
  These days, it’s nearly impossible to walk outside without spotting someone wearing some kind of tech gadget. From smart watches to sleek rings, wearable tech has exploded in popularity thanks to its promise of making us healthier. But is all this data actually good for us? We asked the experts to weigh in, and the answers might surprise you.
• Rescue on the Elk River: How a Kayaking Trip Turned into a Desperate Fight for Survival
  We take you straight into the terrifying moment one kayaker found himself fighting for survival after plunging into a remote, freezing river. With the cold setting in fast, things looked grim. Read the nail-biting story to discover the heroic act that saved his life.
• 13 Horse Racing Facts Even Die-Hard Fans Might Not Know
  You don’t need to be a horse racing fan to enjoy this one. We broke down the most fascinating and fun facts about horse racing, the legendary Kentucky Derby and more. Don’t be surprised if you’re suddenly ready to throw on a fancy hat and experience the excitement for yourself.

These are just a few of the incredible stories waiting for you inside Reader’s Digest’s June/July 2026 issue, out now. Dive into the issue now and see what everyone is talking about.

Why trust us

At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

The Most Iconic Diner in Every State

The Best Sandwich in Every State

The Best Dessert in Every State

The post The Year’s Most Delicious Magazine Has Arrived! Here’s What’s in <i>Reader’s Digest</i>’s June/July 2026 Issue appeared first on Reader's Digest.

“I was simultaneously embarrassed and furious,” she says. “And then I realized I could be mad about it and get paid less or suck up my fear of confrontation and figure out why.”

What she did next changed her career. First, she talked to her employee to see if there was a reason he was getting paid more (there wasn’t, as far as she could tell) and to make sure she had the details straight. Then she walked into her boss’ office and made the case for a promotion and a raise. She got both. The whole thing was deeply uncomfortable, she says, and absolutely against the unspoken norms of her industry. But that one awkward conversation changed her life.

The conversation that made it possible? Asking a co-worker what they make.

I know. It feels wrong just reading that. When I told this story to my husband, who is also a manager in tech, his eyes widened and he said, “Yeah, I would never do that. I’d rather announce my credit score than my salary to my co-workers. It’s just not done.” A lot of people feel the same way. And yet, it’s actually a federally protected right—which, when you think about it, is a pretty significant hint that someone, somewhere, really does not want you to know this information.

But just because something is legal doesn’t make it polite. And this has the potential to make a lot of people very uncomfortable. But should you do it anyway? And is it a breach of proper etiquette? Let’s walk through this together.

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The case for asking

Start by asking yourself who benefits when employees don’t discuss money. It’s certainly not the employees. Which is why the federal law exists. Under the National Labor Relations Act, passed in 1935, most private-sector employees have the legal right to discuss their wages with co-workers. Employers cannot punish them for doing it. The fact that we needed a law to make companies stop forbidding this conversation is almost reason enough to do it.

Yet most of us still don’t. A full 70% of workers say salary is not openly discussed at their job, according to a 2025 Kickresume survey of nearly 2,000 employees, and 37% work somewhere that outright bans the conversation, which, again, is illegal. Somehow we’ve collectively decided that the polite thing to do is stay quiet—which is a strange definition of polite, given that it isn’t helping anyone (except, perhaps, the corporations) and may actually be hurting people we care about.

Too many of us, like my husband, have internalized the idea that talking about salaries makes people uncomfortable—ergo, it’s rude. But good etiquette isn’t about keeping everyone comfortable at all costs. It’s about treating people with fairness and respect. And there’s something radically caring about being the person who’s willing to say, “Hey, can we talk about money?” Because that conversation, as awkward as it is, is one of the only tools employees have to find out if they’re being treated fairly.

In workplaces where no one discusses pay, it’s shockingly easy for disparities to quietly compound over years—by gender, by race, by who negotiated harder in their first interview and then coasted on that number forever. As Michelle discovered, that silence can be worth tens of thousands of dollars. It’s hard to call that polite.

The case against asking (OK, fine)

Just because something is legal (and arguably virtuous) doesn’t mean it’s automatically comfortable, and it’s generally good practice not to make your co-workers uncomfortable.

Asking a co-worker what they earn can feel like asking their weight or their age: not technically off the table, but deeply dependent on how well you know them and how you go about it. Like the office group gift request, a salary question aimed at the wrong person or in the wrong context can be a legitimate overstep. It can come across as presumptuous at best and nosy at worst. There may also be real cultural norms against it in your industry—not because the law doesn’t apply, but because culture has never cared much about the law.

There’s also the reaction problem: If the person you’ve asked makes less than you, they might feel embarrassed. If they make more, they might feel guilty. And if the difference is significant enough, someone’s going home to stare at the ceiling tonight at 2 a.m.

Who to ask, and how to not make it weird

Still, I’d argue that this is the rare etiquette case where it’s acceptable to make the other person a wee bit uncomfy. The good news is that this doesn’t have to be a cold plunge into ice water. There’s an art to it.

• Go first. The single best way to make this conversation less weird is to share your own number first. Don’t corner someone and ask them to be vulnerable while you hold your cards to your chest—that’s an interrogation, not an exchange. Offering yours upfront signals good faith and takes the pressure off.
• Start with someone in your corner. The ideal salary conversation partner is either a close colleague who’s already your friend, a former co-worker who has since moved on, or a peer in your industry at a different company. Former co-workers are the gold standard here—they have relevant, accurate data and absolutely nothing to lose by sharing it. Industry peers are great too; they know the landscape and have no reason to be cagey. If you happen to work with a lot of Gen Z colleagues, you may find this easier than you’d expect—the same Kickresume survey found that nearly 40% of Gen Z workers openly discuss salary at work, almost double the rate of Gen X. Turns out the generation that grew up posting everything online has fewer hang-ups about this particular secret.
• Do your homework first. Before you ask anyone anything, spend some time on Glassdoor, LinkedIn Salary or the Bureau of Labor Statistics to get a general sense of the range for your role and market. This makes you sound like a person doing research rather than someone who just needs to know. “I’ve been looking at salary data for roles like ours, and the range seems really wide. Would you mind if we compared notes?” is a much easier opening than just dropping that question on them out of the blue.
• Pick your moment. There are times when the conversation comes up organically—after a tone-deaf company announcement, during a mutual venting session, when someone is weighing a job offer. These moments are gifts, so use them. What you should not do is bring it up when someone is already upset about money. That’s not information-sharing; that’s poking a bear.
• Be matter-of-fact about it. The more you treat it like a normal, reasonable thing to discuss—because it is—the more likely they are to respond in kind. Don’t treat it like a dirty secret.
• And if they say no? Let them. A cheerful “no worries at all” and a subject change are all you need. If someone doesn’t want to share their salary, that’s entirely their right, and making it weird or confrontational is an actual etiquette violation.

What you do with the answer matters more than the question

Getting the number is only the beginning. If you learn a colleague is making more than you, you have options, but “confronting your colleague about it” and “yelling at your boss” are not among them. What you absolutely can do is use it as a data point to make your own case to management based on your own merits—without throwing that co-worker under the bus. Michelle didn’t walk in and say, “So-and-so makes X, and I want to know why.” She walked in with a calm, prepared argument for her own value.

Be very wary about sharing what your co-worker told you in confidence. Why? Because the moment you name your source, you’ve put that person in an uncomfortable position they didn’t sign up for. They shared something vulnerable with you in confidence, and burning them as a data point isn’t just bad etiquette—it’s the kind of thing that damages trust and professional relationships in lasting ways. Basically, the information powers the negotiation; it doesn’t become the negotiation. There’s a big difference.

“As a manager, I’m much more concerned about why someone feels they deserve more money rather than how their salary compares to someone else’s,” says my friend Cynthia, who owned an international company and is now a business professor who previously shared her advice with us on how to negotiate your salary. “It can’t sound like jealousy. You need to be prepared to show how you’re worth it.”

If you’re the one making more, the stakes are a little different. More than half of employees have learned that a co-worker earns more for the same role, and most were upset about it, according to the same survey. And while that makes a lot of sense, it can also change the dynamic in your work environment. Your co-worker now knows something that may make them frustrated—and a frustrated colleague can be harder to work with if they feel resentful. It can also strain a relationship if it’s fragile to begin with.

The trickiest situation, however, is when the answer makes you really upset. Maybe the gap is bigger than you thought. Maybe it’s the kind of number that makes your eye twitch. That’s valid! But let the feeling settle before you do anything about it because decisions made in the white-hot heat of financial injustice tend not to go great. Give it a day, then decide.

The verdict

Asking a co-worker what they make is not rude. It can be awkward, it requires some relationship calibration, and what you do with the answer demands real tact. But the question itself? Federally protected, entirely legitimate and in many cases—as Michelle could tell you—worth asking.

The discomfort you feel around it isn’t natural. It’s been carefully cultivated by workplace cultures that benefit from keeping employees in the dark about their own relative worth. And the best etiquette rules, at their core, are about helping people feel comfortable and empowered, not about maintaining a company’s convenient fiction.

Have a social situation you can’t stop ruminating on? Email us at advice@tmbi.com, or message Charlotte on Instagram at @CharlotteHiltonAndersen.

Why trust us

Reader’s Digest has published hundreds of etiquette stories that help readers navigate communication in a changing world. We regularly cover topics such as the best messages to send for any occasion, polite habits that aren’t as polite as they seem, email and texting etiquette, business etiquette, tipping etiquette, travel etiquette and more. We’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Sources:

• National Labor Relations Board: “Your Right to Discuss Wages
• Kickresume: “Salary Talk Survey: 56% Find Out Coworkers Earn More for the Same Job”

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The post Is It Really Rude to Ask a Co-Worker How Much They Make? appeared first on Reader's Digest.

So recently, after another long week of bad news, back-to-back deadlines, health struggles and 5:30 a.m. meetings (let’s not even talk about all of the messages, calls and emails I haven’t had time to reply to), I was more than ready to run far, far away and hide in the forest where phone calls and notifications couldn’t find me. But then I remembered that while I adore nature, I live in a city and hate camping. My compromise: forest bathing.

I’ve tried forest bathing a handful of times in the past—first in a Costa Rican rainforest, then in the Adirondack Mountains in New York, Banff National Park in Canada and a botanical garden in Hawaii—but always in a small group led by a forest bathing guide. Could I get the same stress relief on a solo trip in a city park? I was down to find out.

Read on to learn what forest bathing is, how it may benefit your mind and body and what happened when I recently set out in my hometown.

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What is forest bathing?

Contrary to what the name implies, you’re not “bathing” in the traditional sense—no soap and water required! Instead, forest bathing involves immersing your senses in the forest environment, without a specific destination or agenda. No, this is not a hardcore hike; in fact, you might not move far from where you start.

So what’s the point? Be present, pay attention and connect with the natural environment. “The practice of forest bathing is inspired by shinrin-yoku [which roughly translates to “forest bathing” in Japanese], a public health initiative in Japan developed to address the stress of living in today’s urban, industrialized society,” explains Phyllis Look, a certified forest therapy guide and the founder of Forest Bathing Hawaiʻi. “On a guided walk, gentle sensory-opening invitations are offered to more fully experience the calming, healing qualities of the natural world. This evidence-based well-being practice restores our relationship to nature, to others and to ourselves.”

Of course, humans have been living in and connecting with nature since ancient times, so what’s all the fuss about now? The term forest bathing was coined in Japan in 1982, and in the 21st century, it evolved into the more structured activity of shinrin-ryoho (forest therapy), with prompts provided by a guide—or a deck of forest bathing cards, if you’re going the DIY route. About a decade or so ago, Look says, mainstream media caught on. (I’m partially to blame; I’ve covered forest bathing for a number of outlets, including National Geographic in 2019 and United Airlines’ Hemispheres magazine in 2020.)

What are the benefits of forest bathing?

Studies have shown that immersing yourself in nature can have positive impacts on physical and mental health. Here are a few of the science-backed benefits of forest bathing.

Boosted immunity

One of the first things I learned and loved about forest bathing was that you may be “showered” with phytoncides (essential oils) while simply spending time with some plants and trees. These naturally occurring compounds protect plants and trees against disease, so their medicinal qualities can also benefit humans.

“Breathing phytoncides increases human natural killer (NK) cells [that protect the body from infections and tumors],” Look says. For example, a phytoncide called α-pinene (found in pine trees and eucalyptus, among other plants) has anti-inflammatory properties that early research has linked to decreased tumor growth in mice.

Reduced stress

Research has shown that walking or sitting in the woods, surrounded by silence, foliage and fresh air (in addition to those phytoncides), naturally reduces stress hormones in the body. And if you’ve ever taken a little timeout in nature, you already know this to be true.

Lowered blood pressure

Another physical benefit, Look points out, is improved cardiovascular function. Research has confirmed that forest bathing can lower your blood pressure and resting heart rate, which supports cardiovascular health.

Better focus

Studies have shown that interacting with nature in an intentional way can have a restorative effect on the mind—especially critical at a time when we are bombarded with digital distractions, infinite-scroll features, and short, fragmented content.

“Forest bathing can improve cognitive function,” Look says. Slowing down and paying attention to the details around you is a good way to disrupt the overstimulation and dopamine-seeking cycles caused by online activities and social media use.

How does this work, exactly?

If you’re ready to give forest bathing a try, here’s how to get started.

• Consult your health care provider. Consider your personal needs and limitations and check with your health care provider before embarking on a forest bathing activity.
• Choose your destination. If you’re going on your own, pick a safe place and let someone know where you’ll be and when to expect you back. For added safety, turn Life360 or a similar location service on, or as Look recommends, bring a friend or family member.
• Sign up for a guided session. If that’s too expensive, gather some prompts, like the ones in the forest bathing deck I took on my self-directed experiment.
• Set aside a couple of hours. “In that time,” Look says, “one can really slow down and relax enough into a state of being that poet Mary Oliver calls ‘not-thinking, not-remembering, not-wanting.’” But if you don’t have that much time to spare, you can still reap some benefits with shorter sessions. “If you’re forest bathing on your own, experts recommend two hours per week in 20-minute sessions for greatest physical and mental health benefits,” she says.
• Pack smart. Bring water, snacks, sunscreen, bug spray, a hat, a picnic blanket or a beach towel, your fully charged cellphone, a pen and a notepad. When you arrive at your destination, put your phone in Do Not Disturb mode.
• Dive in. Take a deep breath and tune into your senses and surroundings. Pull out your forest bathing prompts (or follow your guide’s invitations), and be open to whatever unfolds. You may find yourself drawn to a certain sound, sight or texture, or feel compelled to journal or draw. “Whether you stroll a short distance or just rest in a single spot, don’t worry about ‘doing it right,’” Look says. “Just listen to your body.”

What if you live in the city?

The good news: You don’t need to go all the way to the woods to practice or benefit from forest bathing. And honestly, if you live in a city like I do, you’re probably in desperate need of a nature fix—stat! Find a green space, such as a park or botanical garden, where you feel safe to forest bathe with minimal distractions.

What if you need a little guidance?

Depending on your location and budget, hiring a certified guide may not be feasible, but it does have its perks. “A guide will relieve you of having to think about where to go, what to do and how long to do it for,” Look says. “Your guide will support being still, quiet, slow and ‘nonproductive’—states we don’t often practice in our 21st-century lives but which our overstimulated nervous system craves.”

As a solo female traveler, I like having a guide for safety and local knowledge. On my first forest bathing experience in Costa Rica, I could close my eyes and tune into the sounds and scents. Given the diversity of creatures in the rainforest (some of which are highly venomous), I wouldn’t have felt comfortable doing so without a local guide by my side.

Another thing to consider is that forest therapy guides aren’t the only people who can provide support. There may be other experts or facilitators suited to your identity or the culture of the place. For example, when I went on a mindful wilderness walk in Tasmania, it was important to be led by Aboriginal guides who knew the land best.

So what was my forest bathing experience like?

I planned to try out a deck of forest bathing cards (An Invitation to Forest Bathing by certified nature and forest therapy guides Lissa Kennedy and Roxanne Côté) near a grove of royal palm trees within walking distance of my Honolulu apartment. Confession: I’ve never done forest bathing in a city park and never tried a self-directed forest bathing session, so I wasn’t even sure this would work! But barely a few steps out the door, when the pale petals of a white hibiscus fluttering in the breeze caught my eye, I realized the intention was enough. I hadn’t even reached the royal palm grove, and already my senses were eager and activated.

Passing between two plumeria trees, I plucked up a fallen flower from the sidewalk. As I brought it to my nose to inhale its sweet scent, I heard a birdcall and excitedly opened the Merlin app (Confession No. 2: I’m a bit of a bird nerd!) to help me identify it and any others I might hear en route. Continuing to the park, I paused to snap a photo of a beautiful banyan tree I’ve walked by hundreds of times but have never stopped to photograph.

As I neared the grove of royal palms, I noticed sunlight glinting through the foliage of a mini forest lining the park’s edge. Instead of making a left toward the royal palms, I was drawn to a patch of grass on the right, tucked between some monkeypod trees, traveler’s palms and a cockspur coral tree. It looked like a good place to sit and pull my first card from the deck. I had every intention of getting up and exploring, assuming the card would prompt me to do so. But the deck had other plans: “Sit Spot,” read the first card I pulled. Already seated, I laughed and exclaimed, “No way! What are the chances?” to absolutely no one.

The back of the card invited me to “find a spot in nature where you can comfortably sit, tap into your senses and notice what emerges around you.” I took some time to breathe in the earthy aromas from the damp grass I was seated on and the floral scent of nearby plumeria flowers twirling to the ground. I watched the royal palm fronds bending in the breeze while cotton-ball clouds cruised against the true-blue sky behind them. I heard multiple birdcalls and then spent the next 40 minutes or more wandering—within just a few steps of my “Sit Spot”—and observing various birds and butterflies, including rose-ringed parakeets, common mynahs, house finches and white terns called manu o Kū here in Hawaii.

I imagined I’d try a few cards during this forest bathing session. Instead, I used just one and then let my curiosity lead the way—what a welcome reprieve from an overscheduled life! I was amused to find that while I was standing still, some of the birds seemed equally curious about me, walking to the ends of the lowest tree branches to get eye level and even swooping by within reach.

So often here in the city, where much of the earth is covered in concrete and I work long hours indoors, I feel overwhelmed, uneasy and disconnected. But in that moment, my heart rate was slow, my stomachache was gone, and I felt anchored to the earth rather than separated from it.

Is forest bathing actually worth it?

Absolutely! Whether you have 20 minutes or two hours, the mental and physical benefits are worth the effort to slow down and connect with the natural world.

As I was packing up my bag to head home, I read the last invitation on the “Sit Spot” card: “Consider coming back to this spot regularly, spending longer periods of time and cultivating a relationship with the land.” Confession No. 3: This brought tears to my eyes. I grew up running barefoot in the forest. Now I’m more often walking in heels on city sidewalks. We know instinctively that nature is healing. We know how important our connection with the ʻāina (land) is. Yet under the pressure of our fast-paced, modern lives, we lose sight of this simple but powerful medicine—exactly when we actually need it most.

So here’s my invitation to you: Forest bathing is for everyone. Hire a guide the first time if it’s in your budget. Or grab a book or deck of forest bathing prompts (and a friend or two if you’d rather not go solo). Download some bird and plant identifying apps if those things interest you. Bring a journal or watercolors to capture some of the beautiful things you notice. Whatever you decide, go with an open mind, be respectful of the place you visit and allow the experience to be uniquely your own.

And who knows? Maybe forest bathing will become your new favorite hobby. I think it might be mine.

Why trust us

At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Sources:

• Phyllis Look, certified forest therapy guide and the founder of Forest Bathing Hawaiʻi; interviewed, May 2026
• American Psychological Association: “Speaking of Psychology: Why our attention spans are shrinking, with Gloria Mark, PhD”
• Biomedical Research: “Fragrant environment with α-pinene decreases tumor growth in mice”
• Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine: “Effects of Forest Bathing on Cardiovascular and Metabolic Parameters in Middle-Aged Males”
• Forests: “Preventive Effects of Forest Bathing/Shinrin-Yoku on Cardiovascular Diseases: A Review of Mechanistic Evidence”
• International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health: “Forest Volatile Organic Compounds and Their Effects on Human Health: A State-of-the-Art Review”
• National Geographic: “The secret to mindful travel? A walk in the woods.”
• Pharmacological Research – Natural Products: “Phytoncides and immunity from forest to facility: A systematic review and meta-analysis”
• Psychological Science: The cognitive benefits of interacting with nature
• Science Advances: “Nature and mental health: An ecosystem service perspective”
• Scientific Reports: “Immersion in nature enhances neural indices of executive attention”
• Scientific Research Publishing: “Impact of Social Media Usage on Attention Spans”
• Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine: “Effects of forest environment (Shinrin-yoku/Forest bathing) on health promotion and disease prevention—the Establishment of ‘Forest Medicine'”
• Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine: “Effect of forest bathing trips on human immune function”

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It turns out there’s a science to why certain lines move quicker than others—and fortunately, you can make some key decisions that really make a difference the next time you’re at the airport, according to Jamol J. Pender, a professor at Cornell University who studies lines and human behavior. He also travels: “I have a family, and we’re slow,” he says. “Anytime we’re traveling with the kids, we’ve got three car seats and all this extra stuff and the stuffies. Somebody’s always crying.”

I asked him for his best advice—from his research and from personal experience—on which lines are fastest, and dug through other research to figure out just what’s going on with our choices. Read on for great tips that will help you fly through security and make sure you’re not the person who winds up crying.

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Which TSA line is typically the shortest?

Start by looking left: Lines on the left side tend to be shorter than those in the middle or on the right. Researchers speculate that this is because most people are right-handed, so we tend to go right naturally. And because we read left to right, our attention naturally pauses on the right rather than the “starting over” point that’s found by looking left. So fewer people will be looking left toward that line, making it a potentially shorter choice for you.

As for the longest lines, those are typically the middle ones. They’re often right there in front of us, so we tend to gravitate to them. That’s thanks to a scientific concept called central fixation bias, aka the center-stage effect, in which we perceive the person or thing in the middle as being the most important. This tendency motivates us to look at the center of a screen, a ballot, a supermarket shelf—or a collection of TSA lanes.

Of course, choosing the shortest line isn’t guaranteed to move you through security the fastest, but knowing the science can help you make an informed decision. Coming up, we’ll tell you how to make some key decisions to pick the fastest one.

How can you pick the fastest security line at the airport?

Pender says the shortest line is only the beginning. But it’s hard to predict which line is definitely the fastest because it depends on a lot of things: the airline, the airport, the time of day, the agents working and other people traveling at the same time. Noticing who is in line already and choosing your path accordingly can be even more important than line length. Here’s what to do:

• Look for frequent fliers: Typically, these are solo business travelers, not vacationers who may travel only occasionally. Any group with little kids will move more slowly, as will big tour groups or high-school sports teams, for example. Any group that’s trying to stick together can’t move as nimbly as solo travelers and should be avoided.
• Ignore the wait-time signs: Surprisingly, Pender advises ignoring the signs telling you how many minutes you’ll wait. “Whatever the sign indicates, I tend to do the opposite,” he says. The signs are only updated every so often, according to his research, and they’re generally accurate only for a short time. After that, they’re often flat-out wrong, he says.
• Avoid people with lots of bags: People who check their luggage tend to move faster through security because they have less stuff to scan, so follow travelers who have just a purse or a backpack. Pender says roller bags slow down the boarding process, and many airlines are increasingly having people gate check them instead of allowing them on board.
• Pay attention to the agents: Are they hustling and keeping things moving? Or just going through the motions? While you’re waiting, take a peek at the overall flow of each line ahead of you and take the staffing levels and other potential holdups in each line into consideration.

Is TSA PreCheck worth it?

Typically, yes, says Pender, and statistics back him up. According to the TSA, 99% of PreCheck passengers get through security in under 10 minutes. (Standard lines usually take less than 30 minutes.)

“By and large, I think TSA-Pre folks have a sense [that] you want to get through the line faster,” says Pender. And even if the PreCheck lines look a little longer, they’re generally faster because they have more frequent fliers who know how to keep things moving. They also save time because people don’t have to do as many extra steps, like remove laptops and liquids from their bags.

There may be some exceptions, like one Pender has seen firsthand. “I will say that when I’ve gone to Orlando, Florida, so many people have TSA Pre [that] that line is actually sometimes longer, especially on Sunday or Monday morning when lots of people are traveling from the weekend; lots of kids are there,” he says.

Still, even if you fly infrequently or fly out of smaller airports where all fliers stand in one queue, PreCheck can help. “I live in Ithaca, where everybody gets in the same line,” Pender says. But even then, passengers with TSA PreCheck move faster through the line because they don’t have to remove jackets and other outerwear. “What’s interesting is that it saves time for everybody when you do that,” he adds. “You move faster through security, so you speed up everybody else’s time too.”

What can you do to move through airport security more quickly?

At a certain point, it’s all up to you. To speed up your trip through security, here are some things you can do:

• Be ready: Pay attention, read the signs and follow the rules.
• Wear shoes you can easily put on and take off: The TSA no longer requires you to take your shoes off preemptively, but it’s smart to be ready.
• Be able to remove clothes easily: Don’t wear things that are guaranteed to slow you down, like overalls (the metal buckles set off the metal detectors—ask me how I know) or a belt that’s tricky to fasten.
• Don’t carry a bunch of stuff in your pockets: Put all your stuff in your carry-on beforehand.
• Drink up before you get to security: Put that empty water bottle in the security bin or carry-on.
• Keep your boarding pass handy: This is why I always fly in cargo pants or with a cross-body bag with an easy-access pocket—it lets me grab my printed pass easily. I find that to be faster, but if you prefer to use the electronic boarding pass on your phone, pull it up beforehand and keep refreshing so you don’t have to keep starting over.

One final note: If you’re traveling with anything out of the ordinary, read the TSA rules before heading to the airport. I got a snow globe as a Christmas present one year, and when I went to fly, I packed it in my carry-on, thinking it would be safer there than in my checked bag. But that gel inside the globe is considered a liquid, so I had to leave it behind, resulting in another liquid—tears!

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Why trust us

Reader’s Digest has published hundreds of travel stories that help readers explore the world safely, easily and affordably. We regularly cover topics such as the best places to visit (and the best times to visit them), tips and tricks to zoom through airport security, flight-attendant secrets, hotel-room hacks and more. We’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing, and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Sources:

• Jamol J. Pender, associate director of graduate studies and an associate professor in the School of Operations Research and Information Engineering at Cornell University; interviewed, May 2026
• Cornell University: “The temporal evolution of the central fixation bias in scene viewing”
• Journal of Experimental Psychology: “Sequential effects modulate spatial biases”
• Kent Hendricks: “Center Stage Effect”

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At 3 p.m., when I need to answer emails, finish an edit and behave like a functioning adult, it would happily crawl under my desk and cuddle up with my cat for a nap. But at 11:30 p.m., when the lights are off and I am finally horizontal, suddenly it wants to workshop every unresolved issue in my life.

Did I respond weirdly in that meeting? Did I turn off the oven? Why did I say “Sounds good!” when nothing sounded good? Should I be stretching more? Is it too late to become a person who runs?

This is not thinking. This is my brain opening 37 tabs and then refusing to tell me which one is playing audio.

And apparently, I have plenty of company. According to 2024 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 30.5% of U.S. adults got less than seven hours of sleep in a 24-hour period, and 15.4% had trouble falling asleep most days or every day. A 2025 poll from the National Sleep Foundation also found that 68% of adults have at least some difficulty falling asleep.

So when I heard about a simple mental trick that supposedly helps quiet your thoughts quickly, I was interested. Not convinced. Interested. I have tried enough bedtime advice to know that “just relax” is not a sleep strategy.

Still, this sounded different enough to test. And on a few restless nights, it did something I did not expect: It gave my overthinking brain a place to go.

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Why is it so hard to fall asleep sometimes?

Peacefully dozing off can sometimes feel especially difficult because when everything finally gets quiet, your brain has room to get loud.

According to Shelby Harris, PsyD, a clinical associate professor of neurology and psychiatry at Albert Einstein College of Medicine who specializes in behavioral sleep medicine, racing thoughts can take over once the distractions of the day fall away and your brain has space to process and worry. That can keep your brain and body in a state of hyperarousal. “Your brain is turned on; your body is tense,” she explains. “The brain’s threat-detection system often stays on, as it is stuck in ruminative and busy thinking, trying to solve problems or be alert.”

So though your body may be ready for sleep, your brain is still acting like it has a shift to finish. Mine tends to open with small tasks, then escalates quickly to life audits, five-year plans and memories I did not consent to revisiting.

What is the nighttime trick that helps you fall asleep quickly?

The trick is called cognitive shuffling, and it was created by Luc P. Beaudoin, PhD, a cognitive scientist and adjunct professor at Simon Fraser University, as a way to quiet those busy thoughts before sleep. Beaudoin began exploring the concept in 1989, when his occasional sleeplessness got him thinking about whether he could steer the brain toward sleep instead of waiting for it to happen on its own. That eventually led him to develop the cognitive shuffle, a category of techniques meant to make your bedtime thoughts more sleep-friendly.

The basic idea is to give your brain a stream of random, easy-to-picture images to focus on as you’re trying to fall asleep. Beaudoin later turned the technique into mySleepButton, an app that guides users through the shuffle with curated prompts. But there’s also a do-it-yourself version: Start with a simple, boring word that has at least five letters—something like cloud. Then, take the first letter of that word, and think of random words that begin with it, picturing each one briefly before moving on to the following letters.

So, for cloud, you could start with: cactus, cup, cabbage, cowboy.

Then move to: lamp, lemon, lake, ladder. And so on.

These words shouldn’t connect. You are not telling yourself a bedtime story. You are not imagining a cowboy carrying a cabbage up a ladder beside a lake. Chaos (and sleeplessness) lies that way. The whole point is to keep the images random enough that your brain can’t turn them into a plot, a plan or a panic spiral.

Harris’s suggested version follows the same general principle but takes a different approach: Start with a category, then run through the alphabet, thinking of a word within that category for every letter, picturing each one as you go.

For example, if you’re feeling hungry: A, apple. B, banana. C, cantaloupe.

You can use foods, animals, objects or anything that comes easily. The point is not to be impressive. Nobody is handing out awards for making it to xylophone. You’re just trying to keep your brain occupied without giving it anything interesting to latch on to.

Naturally, I found a way to complicate it immediately. My first attempt used the word dance, which seemed harmless enough until my brain immediately supplied: detonator, damage, darkness. Not exactly the cozy little mental slideshow I was going for.

I don’t think I was doing it right, but I was determined to keep trying.

Why does this work?

Cognitive shuffling works because it gives your brain just enough to do.

Trying to force your mind to go blank can backfire. Harris calls it “one of the least effective strategies out there,” because the effort of not thinking often makes more thoughts pop up. Which, unfortunately, is exactly how my brain behaves the second I tell it to be quiet.

Counting sheep can help some people if it holds their attention, Harris says, but cognitive shuffling may have an advantage because it is both dull and engaging. “It is boring enough but also engaging enough that it quiets the other parts of the mind from popping up and intruding,” she explains.

By the fourth night that I tried cognitive shuffling, I switched to Harris’s approach. Limiting myself to a category like animals felt safer than whatever my brain was doing with dance. Aardvark. Beaver. Cat. Dog. Earwig. OK, that last one made me squirm. But eventually, the list started to blur, and I couldn’t tell you which letter lost me to unconsciousness.

Does this always work?

No—and having realistic expectations for cognitive shuffling is important.

Harris says cognitive shuffling may help people who have very active minds at night, especially if they are using it instead of trying to force sleep or a blank brain. If your issue, like mine, is rumination, it may give your mind a neutral task to return to.

Christina S. McCrae, PhD, the assistant dean of research at the University of South Florida College of Nursing and the director of the McCrae Sleep Research Lab, says it may also be useful if you wake up in the middle of the night and cannot fall back asleep within 15 to 20 minutes because your thoughts have switched back on.

But it is not going to work for everyone. Some people just don’t have especially busy brains at night, Harris says, and even overthinkers may hit limits. “If you find that you’ve gone through the alphabet and it isn’t working to quiet your mind, you probably need something else to try,” she says. In fact, practicing daytime mindfulness may help strengthen that skill for nighttime.

McCrae adds another important caveat: “Cognitive shuffling is not an evidence-based technique, but it appears to share elements with cognitive therapy.” So it may be useful on the occasional night when your brain won’t settle down, but it is not a substitute for care if you’re having nightly trouble falling asleep. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, or CBT-I, as a treatment for chronic insomnia disorder in adults, and McCrae suggests a complete sleep evaluation for chronic sleep problems.

That difference between a helpful tool and an actual treatment tracked with my own experience. Over the long term, my sleep issues might be too big for cognitive shuffling to solve on its own; I certainly didn’t have success with it every night. Sometimes I got stuck on Q or X and started tossing and turning all over again. Other times, my brain swapped neutral words for failure, inbox, budget. At that point, I was no longer shuffling. I was just worrying alphabetically. And if that keeps happening night after night, it may be a sign that you need more than a bedtime trick.

What mistakes will torpedo this method?

Cognitive shuffling can go sideways in a few very predictable ways: You can make it too complicated, choose words with emotional baggage or treat wandering thoughts like failure. Harris says frustration is a sign to simplify. If a category gets too narrow or you get stuck on a letter, loosen the rules and choose any word that comes easily.

Just don’t loosen them so much that you wander into problem-solving territory. I’d avoid anything tied to work, money, health worries, family stress, relationship conflict, politics or big life decisions. If a word makes you think, Actually, I should do something about that, it probably does not belong in your shuffle.

Concrete words can also be better than abstract ones. Peace sounds sleepy, but it can lead to some serious big-picture thinking. Pillow is good. Candle is nice. Banana is wonderful.

And if your thoughts wander as you shuffle, that does not mean the whole thing is ruined. Harris says to pay attention to the exercise and bring your mind back when it drifts.

So how well does this work—really?

For me, cognitive shuffling worked best when I treated it as a way to redirect my thoughts, not as a fix for sleep itself. That lines up with McCrae’s caution: It may be worth trying, but it’s not the same thing as an evidence-based treatment.

On the better nights, cognitive shuffling softened the part of bedtime where my brain usually starts sprinting. Once I stopped overthinking it and chose gentle, easy prompts, it gave me something low-stakes to slowly drift off to.

On the harder nights, it worked more like a pause than a solution. If I was genuinely anxious about something, the shuffle could take the edge off, but it did not always fully quiet things down. I’m treating it as one tool, not my entire sleep plan, and I’m still talking with a mental-health professional about what else might help.

So while cognitive shuffling is not an express lane to perfect sleep, it is a tiny mental detour for the nights when your brain will not stop narrating. Sometimes mine followed it. Sometimes it blew right past. But when it worked, I got a little distance from the noise. And when your mind is whirring, that can make all the difference.

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Why trust us

At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Sources:

• Shelby Harris, PsyD, DBSM, behavioral sleep medicine specialist, clinical associate professor of neurology and psychiatry at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and author of The Women’s Guide to Overcoming Insomnia; interviewed, May 2026
• Christina S. McCrae, PhD, DBSM, behavioral sleep medicine specialist, professor and assistant dean of research at the University of South Florida College of Nursing and director of the McCrae Sleep Research Lab; interviewed, May 2026
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: “Short Sleep Duration and Sleep Difficulties Among Adults: United States, 2024”
• National Sleep Foundation: “2025 Sleep in America Poll”
• Simon Fraser University: “Reprogramming Rest: Dr. Luc P. Beaudoin’s Science of Falling Asleep”
• mySleepButton: “The Cognitive Shuffle Do-It-Yourself Instructions”
• Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine: “Behavioral and psychological treatments for chronic insomnia disorder in adults: An American Academy of Sleep Medicine clinical practice guideline”

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If you’re feeling uninspired about reading these days, take heart. You’re not alone, and frankly, modern life is full of distractions. But if you want to fall back in love with reading, it is possible, no matter how long it’s been.

To kick-start a summer reading streak that lasts into winter and beyond, I turned to four book lovers for their best tips on how to get out of a reading slump. Let’s dive in.

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It’s not just you

Statistics show that reading habits are declining across the board. A 2025 study found that the number of Americans who read for pleasure each day has dropped from 28% in 2004 to 16% in 2023. Recreational reading rates have decreased about 3% per year for the last 20 years. In 2024, only 48.5% of American adults reported having read at least one book in the past year.

What’s causing this collective reading slump? Probably several factors, a few of which stem from a sharp rise in daily technology use. According to the Pew Research Center, 84% of American adults use YouTube, and 71% are on Facebook. Streaming and scrolling take time—possibly time you would’ve spent with a great book. Some experts also say that artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots are replacing the need to read books for information.

Get out of a reading slump

First things first: You need to want to start reading more. If you’re searching for a compelling reason to break out of your slump, know that it’s hard to overstate the benefits of reading. It does everything from relieve stress to improve sleep to protect against cognitive decline later in life. Want in on those perks? Read on for ways to reignite your passion for books.

1. Reread an old favorite

Just as rereading favorite passages can help you get over a book hangover, rereading one of your favorite books can help you feel excited about reading again.

“Pick something tried and true,” says Kirsty Greenwood, author of Romantic Hero. She explains that rereading something you couldn’t put down the first time can reassure you that you will be satisfied enough to make it through the book again. “I find this takes away the nervous dread that comes with a slump and reminds you why you love stories,” she adds.

Edward Schmit, author of the soon-to-be-released sports romance The Open Era, says rereading favorites from your younger years can also give you “a nice little kick of nostalgia.” Plus, he says, you can enjoy the story with new eyes.

2. Reach for a children’s book

Yes, really! “Whenever I’m in a reading slump, I reach for a children’s book—either a reread of an old classic or a contemporary middle-grade story that’s new to me,” says Libby Page, author of Reader’s Digest Book Club pick This Book Made Me Think of You. “With a lower page count and stories designed to grip picky young readers, children’s books can be great if you’re struggling to focus on anything too heavy.”

If a great children’s book or young adult page-turner doesn’t come to mind, Page suggests picking up anything by Anna James, author of the Pages & Co. fantasy series, or Katherine Rundell, author of the Impossible Creatures series.

3. Stop treating reading like homework

It’s easy to get in your head about reading if you treat it like an item to check off your to-do list. Sam Helmick, the 2025–2026 president of the American Library Association, says picking up a book that’s different from what you “should” be reading is a great way to get out of a reading slump.

“Like a graphic novel, a fast-moving sci-fi story, essays …” Helmick says. “I’ve found that momentum matters more than page count; once I reconnect with the feeling of discovery, the habit tends to return on its own.”

4. Download an audiobook

Who says you need to hold a book in your hands to read it? Americans still prefer physical books to e-books and audiobooks, but audiobook listening is on the rise, according to the Pew Research Center. And for good reason: You can listen to an audiobook at times when it wouldn’t be possible to read with your eyes. Audiobooks can help you push through a slump by letting you listen to a great novel while driving, biking to work or doing mundane tasks like cleaning or folding laundry at home.

5. Look for a book in a world you love

“Try choosing a book that incorporates one of your favorite hobbies, and hopefully that passion carries over,” Schmidt says.

If you love traveling to Italy, why not pick up a thriller set in Rome (like Angels & Demons) or a romance in Tuscany (think: Under the Tuscan Sun)? Or if you’re an avid baseball fan, you could crack open the inspiring biography of rookie-turned-MLB-superstar Jim Morris or the insider memoir of former player Jim Bouton.

6. Try a shorter book

Picking up a slim novella may be more likely to kick you out of a reading slump than a 500-page epic. It’s goal-setting 101: If you’re struggling with a task, set a small, attainable goal to chip away at the larger aim.

With reading, that looks like breaking down your goal (getting out of a reading slump) into a small chunk (finish this 150-page short book by the end of the week). It’s a bit of a hack, but it works. If you want to read more books this year, shorter books set you up for success.

7. Give yourself permission to “DNF”

Here’s your free pass to DNF (that’s “did not finish” in the book world) any book that’s not kicking you out of your slump

“Don’t be afraid to put down the book you’re reading and turn to something else that’s calling more loudly to you,” Page says.

Plus, there’s no reason you can’t return to the first book later if you’re craving something different. Some books are best in specific seasons—like dark academia in the fall or atmospheric travel books matched to where you’re traveling next.

Read your way out of a book slump

Some books have that oomph—often a magical mix of pace and gripping plot—to kick you right out of a reading slump. Here are some of my personal favorites, plus a few recommended by book-loving ALA president Helmick:

• Godfall by Van Jensen. “This book moves with real energy and imagination while still asking big questions about power, identity and humanity. It’s immersive without feeling dense,” Helmick says.
• Warning Signs by Tracy Sierra. This survivalist thriller (a Reader’s Digest Book Club pick!) about a father-son ski trip pulled me in and had me rooting for young Zach right away. But unlike many edge-of-your-seat thrillers, this one also made my heart ache in a lasting way—yes, tears were shed.
• Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. “It’s fast, vivid, unsettling and deeply relevant in an age of distraction and information overload,” Helmick says. “Even readers who haven’t picked up a book in months often find themselves pulled quickly into its urgency and atmosphere.”
• The Night Hunter by Natalie Moss. I love that the action starts right away in this energetic novel about a woman who heads into the South African bush after receiving a cryptic note from her dead mother. You’ll keep reading to find out which is scarier: being hunted by a leopard, a buffalo or a human enemy?
• Inside the Box by David Epstein. Helmick loves recommending this nonfiction title to people feeling creatively or intellectually stuck. “It’s accessible, energizing and often helps readers reconnect with the joy of thinking and learning in a new way.”
• Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris. Reading a collection of Sedaris’s irreverent essays and short stories doesn’t feel like reading a whole book. You’ll climb out of your slump one short episode at a time, smiling wryly all the while.
• The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis. I still haven’t seen the movie because why ruin perfection? Rereading any of the Narnia series feels a little like remembering my first crush: cue the dramatic middle-school feels about friendship and love and adventure as if it’s the very first time.

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Why trust us

At Reader’s Digest, we’ve been sharing our favorite books for over 100 years. We’ve worked with bestselling authors including Susan Orlean, Janet Evanovich and Alex Haley, whose Pulitzer Prize–winning Roots grew out of a project funded by and originally published in the magazine. Through Fiction Favorites (formerly Select Editions and Condensed Books), Reader’s Digest has been publishing anthologies of abridged novels for decades. We’ve worked with some of the biggest names in fiction, including James Patterson, Ruth Ware, Kristin Hannah and more. The Reader’s Digest Book Club, helmed by Books Editor Tracey Neithercott, introduces readers to even more of today’s best fiction by upcoming, bestselling and award-winning authors. For this piece, Leandra Beabout tapped her experience as a longtime journalist who covers books for Reader’s Digest to ensure that all information is accurate and offers the best possible advice to readers. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Sources:

• Sam Helmick, president of the American Library Association; email interview, May 15, 2026
• Kirsty Greenwood, author of The Love of My Afterlife and Romantic Hero; email interview, May 2026
• Edward Schmit, author of The Open Era; email interview, May 2026
• Libby Page, author of This Book Made Me Think of You and The Lifeline; email interview, May 2026
• iScience, A Cell Press Journal: “The decline in reading for pleasure over 20 years of the American Time Use Survey”
• The National Endowment for the Arts: “Federal Data on Reading for Pleasure: All Signs Show a Slump”
• Pew Research Center: “Americans’ Social Media Use 2025”
• The Conversation: “AI is making reading books feel obsolete – and students have a lot to lose”
• Pew Research Center: “Americans still opt for print books over digital or audio versions; few are in book clubs”

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The post In a Reading Slump? Here’s How to Finally Fall Back in Love with Books appeared first on Reader's Digest.

2026 marks three decades since the original game debuted—and brands are helping fans celebrate with merch, themed foods and home goods. Below are some of the top Pokémon collabs you can shop now.

One word of warning, though? These drops tend to sell out fast. You’ll want to shop quickly and keep an eye out for restocks if you plan to catch ’em all.

Psst! See what financial experts have to say about whether Pokémon cards are a good investment.

Top Pokémon collabs in 2026

Pokémon x Target

Shop on Target

This well-rounded Target collection includes something for every fan, including clothing, beauty and home goods. The first drop, which landed on May 2, is pretty much sold out. But the second wave is landing in stores on June 6. I’m obsessed with the kickball that looks like a Poké Ball—perfect for a retro ’90s summer!

Pokémon x LEGO

Shop on LEGO

Up for a challenge? These highly detailed LEGO sets are perfect for fans with a little patience. Choose from three sets: Eevee, Venusaur, Charizard and Blastoise or Pikachu and Poké Ball. Additional sets are expected to land later this year.

Pokémon x Uniqlo

Shop on Uniqlo

If you’re searching for a Pokémon T-shirt, the Uniqulo collab has options for kids and adults alike. Dropping on June 15, this line of tees includes original video game art of some of the most iconic characters, including Charizard, Pikachu, Gengar and Snorlax.

Pokémon x PUMA

Shop on PUMA

For even more wearable merch, try the PUMA x Pokémon collab. Yes, there are sneakers in both kid and adult sizes. Plus, T-shirts, hoodies, jerseys, bottoms and more. This collection has been out for a while, so some sizes are limited.

Pokémon x Goldfish Crackers

Shop Pikachu Crackers

Shop Bulbasaur Crackers

Shop Squirtle Crackers

Shop Charmander Crackers

Training all these Pokémon is a tall task! If you, too, have worked up an appetite, Goldfish has you covered. The kids’ snack brand just dropped four new crackers celebrating the original starters: Charmander, Squirtle, Bulbasaur and Pikachu.

Pokémon x Igloo

Shop on Igloo

If you’re planning some beach days this summer, stay cool while showing off some Pokémon flair. This Igloo Coolers collection isn’t new, but it does feature some of the cutest designs I’ve seen, including a Poké Ball crossbody cooler and character can holders.

Pokémon x Hershey's Kisses

Shop on Walmart

If you truly want to catch ’em all, Hershey’s dropped their sweet chocolate kisses in themed wrappers. Each kiss looks like a Poké Ball, while the bottom unveils one of the original 151 Pokémon.

The post Gotta Catch ’em All! The Best Pokémon Collabs to Shop for the 30th Anniversary appeared first on Reader's Digest.

More than 80 million Americans suffer from seasonal allergies, also known as allergic rhinitis or hay fever. “This time of year, the biggest culprits are usually tree and grass pollens,” says An Huynh, MD, an allergist and clinical immunologist at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire. They trigger inflammation in the eyes and nose and activate allergic antibodies in the immune system. “The next time these antibodies come in contact with pollen,” he adds, “they can cause allergic cells to break open and release chemicals that can cause sneezing, sniffles and watery eyes.”

Ironically, those annoying symptoms are actually part of your body’s attempt to protect you by flushing allergens back out. You already know the advice: Don’t wait until symptoms hit; get ahead of the pollen and start taking your allergy medication before allergy season begins. Maybe you even listened this year and started your meds weeks ago—yet somehow, you’re still miserable, wondering how you can possibly be this congested while actively medicated.

We spoke to Dr. Huynh and two other allergists, and they all agreed: One surprisingly common mistake may be preventing you from getting real relief. In some cases, it can even make symptoms worse. Keep reading to discover what you may be doing wrong and the easy fix that will have you breathing easy in no time.

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What is the No. 1 mistake people make with their allergy meds?

“‘Snorting’ nasal sprays,” says Julia L. Montejo, MD, a board-certified allergist and immunologist at Parkview Health in Warsaw, Indiana. Now, the problem is not the sprays themselves (more on which ones are best coming up)—it’s the way you’re using them. The natural instinct is to point the nose spray directly up the nose, explains Dr. Huynh, “but then the medicine is not going where it needs to go.”

It’s also a problem if you aim the nozzle toward your septum, or the middle of the nose, adds Meagan W. Shepherd, MD, a board-certified allergist and immunologist in Barboursville, West Virginia. That can send the medicine into your throat instead of toward the inflamed tissue the medication is meant to treat. Dr. Montejo says, “If you immediately tasted it, you wasted it.”

The mistake is incredibly common because most people are never taught how to use nose sprays correctly by their health-care providers and are unfamiliar with where the medication is actually supposed to go, says Dr. Shepherd.

Why is this a problem?

“If the medication isn’t used correctly, many people will then say the medicine doesn’t work, and then they stop using it,” Dr. Huynh explains. “However, these nose sprays, specifically steroid and antihistamine nasal sprays, are first-line medications for managing seasonal allergies and can be even more effective than an oral allergy pill.”

Besides not giving you the relief you need, using the spray incorrectly can actually make you feel even worse. “If medication repeatedly hits the septum, it’s more likely to irritate delicate blood vessels, increasing the risk of nosebleeds while also making the medicine less effective against congestion and drainage,” notes Dr. Shepherd.

What’s the right way to use a nasal spray?

All the allergists we spoke to recommend a similar technique to help medication reach the right spot. They call it “nose to toes.”

Step 1: When using nasal sprays, bend your head forward slightly so you’re looking at your toes.

Step 2: Using the opposite hand for each nostril—for example, holding the bottle in your left hand to spray your right nostril, and vice versa—angle the nose spray nozzle away from the middle of your nose toward the inside corner of your eye.

Step 3: Inhale normally while doing this—don’t sniff or snort. Sniffing too aggressively can send the medication down your throat instead of allowing it to settle on the inflamed nasal tissue, where it’s needed most.

Other allergy-medication mistakes that can backfire

Using nasal sprays incorrectly isn’t the only mistake allergists see during allergy season. Here are some other common mistakes to avoid.

Using one particular nasal spray

Dr. Huynh warns against relying too heavily on oxymetazoline nasal sprays, commonly known as Afrin. “This is a decongestant that can decrease nasal swelling very quickly, but it does not treat the underlying cause of the allergies,” he says. “Plus, it can cause rebound congestion when stopped, leading to an ‘addictive’ effect with prolonged use (more than three days).”

A surprisingly helpful tool? Saline rinses. Using nasal saline in a spray or an irrigation method such as a neti pot or rinse bottle are terrific non-medicated therapies to help wash out pollen, mucus and other irritants, Dr. Huynh says.

Taking Benadryl

“It’s an inexpensive over-the-counter antihistamine that may be effective to a degree,” says Dr. Montejo. “But Benadryl only lasts four to six hours, and its common side effects include sedation/fatigue and dry mouth, which limit its usefulness.” Having seasonal allergies alone can cause a significant amount of fatigue for several reasons, she explains. “Your immune system works overtime, releasing histamines and cytokines that trigger inflammation, disrupt sleep and drain your energy.”

Add to that taking an oral antihistamine, which may make you drowsy during the day. “Nasal congestion and postnasal drainage at night cause poor-quality sleep, resulting in daytime fatigue,” Dr. Montejo says. Dr. Huynh prefers newer nondrowsy options such as cetirizine (Zyrtec), fexofenadine (Allegra) and levocetirizine (Xyzal).

Incorrectly using inhalers

According to Dr. Shepherd, many people also misuse their inhalers. These MDIs (metered-dose inhalers) are the classic handheld “puffer” inhaler that sprays a quick burst of medication for asthma or allergy-related breathing symptoms.

They should always be used with a spacer device, a lightweight plastic tube that attaches to the inhaler on one end and has a mouthpiece on the other. Instead of the medication shooting straight into the back of your throat, the spacer briefly holds the medicine in the chamber so you can inhale it more slowly and deeply into the lungs, where it’s actually needed.

But many people skip the spacer and spray the medication directly into their mouth. That means less medication reaches the airways—and more ends up stuck in the mouth and throat, which can increase irritation and side effects. To use one, attach the inhaler to the spacer, press the inhaler once to release the medication into the chamber, then place your mouth tightly around the mouthpiece and inhale slowly and deeply.

The best strategy for allergy relief

For long-term relief, our experts point to allergen immunotherapy, commonly known as allergy shots. Rather than simply masking symptoms, allergy shots gradually train the immune system to tolerate allergens over time. “When done properly, you essentially teach your body to recognize allergens in a safe, noninflammatory way,” Dr. Shepherd says.

And while it won’t help much this week, allergists agree that allergy medications work best when started before symptoms ramp up. Ideally, treatment should begin about two to four weeks before allergy season starts.

If over-the-counter medications aren’t helping, your symptoms are interfering with daily life or you want more targeted treatment, doctors recommend seeing a board-certified allergist for testing and a personalized treatment plan.

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Why trust us

At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Sources:

• An Huynh, MD, allergist and clinical immunologist at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center; email interview, May 21, 2026
• Meagan W. Shepherd, MD, board-certified allergist and immunologist; email interview, May 21, 2026
• Julia L. Montejo, MD, board-certified allergist and immunologist at Parkview Health; email interview, May 21, 2026
• Allergy & Asthma Network: “Allergy Statistics in the U.S.”

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The post This Is the No. 1 Mistake You’re Making with Your Allergy Meds—And It’s Actually Making Your Sniffles Worse! appeared first on Reader's Digest.

Turns out, that idea may not be as far-fetched as it sounds. Add in Princess Charlotte’s very relatable Swiftie obsession, and suddenly this potential royal wedding crossover feels oddly perfect. So what’s the connection between the Wales family and Taylor Swift, and could we really see them celebrating the big day together? Read on to find out.

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Will Prince William and Princess Kate attend Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding?

According to the Prince of Wales, nothing is confirmed yet, but he definitely hasn’t ruled it out—or at least it sounds like he’s hoping it hasn’t been ruled out!

During a May 2026 appearance on the U.K.’s Heart Breakfast radio show, William was directly asked whether he had received an invitation. “No comment,” he said with a smile, before adding, “I’m hoping, and I’m sure there might be an invitation around, but we’ll see.”

There’s actually a strong argument for why the Wales family could end up on the guest list. William previously said that his children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis—are huge Taylor Swift fans, and Charlotte, in particular, is “obsessed” with the singer.

Swift has also hinted at just how big this wedding could become. During an October 2025 appearance on The Graham Norton Show, she suggested she prefers large weddings because smaller ones often come with stressful guest-list decisions. “I think the only stressful weddings are the ones where you have a small amount and people are on the bubble and you have to evaluate or assess your relationship with them to see if they should be there,” she said. “I’m not going to do that.”

So while nothing has been confirmed regarding royal attendance, it’s one of those celebrity-meets-royalty storylines that feels almost too good not to happen. We’ll just have to wait and see if a royal RSVP really comes through.

Have the royals met Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce before?

Yes, and not just once. Prince William and Taylor Swift have actually crossed paths multiple times over the years. One of their earliest and most famous meetups happened in 2013, when Swift performed at a charity gala at Kensington Palace. In a now-iconic moment, she invited William onstage to join Jon Bon Jovi for a rendition of “Livin’ on a Prayer.” Fans still look back on it fondly as one of the most unexpected—and fun!—pairings ever.

Fast-forward to June 2024, when the connection became even more personal. The Prince of Wales attended Swift’s Eras Tour concert at Wembley Stadium with Kate and their children. After the show, the family met Swift and Kelce backstage, posing for photos that quickly went viral.

All in all, the royals have crossed paths with Swift and Kelce in some genuinely friendly moments, making it easy to see why fans keep imagining there could be a royal RSVP to the wedding of the year.

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Why trust us

Reader’s Digest has published hundreds of stories on the British royal family, providing a behind-the-scenes look at the fascinating facets of the monarchy. We regularly cover topics including the latest royal news, the history and meaning behind time-honored traditions, and the everyday quirks of everyone’s favorite family members, from Queen Elizabeth’s daily snack to Prince William’s confessions about his home life. We’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Sources:

• YouTube: “Prince William Talks Family Routines, Aston Villa Celebrations and More on the Isles of Scilly!”
• YouTube: “Taylor Swift Fangirls Over Emma Bunton and Reveals Her Hen Do Plans!”
• Time: “Taylor Swift Speaks Out After Reuniting With Prince William Following Viral Video”

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The post Prince William Answers the Big Question: Will He Be Attending Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s Wedding? appeared first on Reader's Digest.

But it turns out that not all Costco shoppers live by the same set of rules. Recently, a worker took to Reddit to air their grievances about a particular request that rubs them the wrong way. Read on to find out what the request is—and if you might unknowingly be guilty of it.

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What request will get you in trouble with the workers giving out free samples?

Trying to modify your freebie will not go over well. Redditor Osh_Kosh_Bigosh started a thread on r/Costco titled, “No I will not be customizing your FREE SAMPLE.” They went on to list all the ways they’ve been asked to customize samples, including: “Can I get just the brie cheese and no cracker?” “Can I get my quesadilla extra crispy?” and “I want extra salsa on my chips!”

Other workers from Club Demonstration Services (CDS), the company Costco hires to prepare and hand out free samples, chimed in on the same thread to share their own experiences. User WantDastardlyBack recounted how a shopper once demanded they prepare all the flavors of Annie’s Mac and Cheese “immediately so that she could try all three before committing to buy them.”

Why is this so irritating?

As Osh_Kosh_Bigosh goes on to explain, “There’s no such thing as modifications or customizations when it comes to free samples.” And I tend to agree. They’re free! Be grateful that someone wants to hand you a free dumpling or piece of chocolate. That doesn’t happen when you’re at a ShopRite, Aldi or other regular grocery store. The Redditor continues, “… samples aren’t ‘have it your way’ they are ‘Take what’s offered or keep walking and get nothing.'”

Requesting a customized sample is more than just annoying; it could get a CDS worker in trouble, according to Redditor Legitimate-Fix-3987. “If you do custom samples and the CDS manager catches you, they either send you home, reduce your hours for the next week, give you a talk in the office or all of them. Because following the DPIS [Demo Product Information Sheet] is a strict non negotiable rule.”

Beyond that, it could be bad for you. Meat and seafood, in particular, need to be cooked to a certain temperature to be safe to eat, so rushing the workers might not be the smartest move.

Could this behavior actually get you banned?

While asking for customized samples won’t get you banned from Costco outright (about the only thing that we know of that will do that is abusing the store’s generous return policy), the CDS worker may refuse to give you a sample.

Are there any acceptable requests when it comes to free samples?

If you have any food allergies or intolerances, you’re certainly within your rights to ask about ingredients. And if you’re shopping with children, you may have better luck getting a customized sample. A number of commenters on the same Reddit thread mentioned that their children have been offered samples without a spicy sauce that goes along with the bite or a cracker without cheese.

So what is proper free-sample etiquette?

It should go without saying that you should say “please” and “thank you” when taking a free sample. You should also wait your turn patiently—no busting to the front of the line—and make sure your cart is stashed neatly to the side and not blocking a full aisle. Tossing your own utensil and serving container will also score you major brownie points. Most sample stations are set up with a trash can conveniently next to them, so don’t ask the CDS worker to toss it for you or, worse, stash it on an adjacent shelf.

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Why trust us

At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Sources:

• Reddit: “No I will not be customizing your FREE SAMPLE”
• Club Demonstration Services: “About”

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The post This Request About Costco’s Free Samples Drives Workers Crazy—Are You Guilty of It? appeared first on Reader's Digest.

His was the only vehicle parked at the out-of-the-way boat launch, a simple clearing surrounded by empty woods. From the concrete boat ramp jutting out of the steep riverbank downstream from the parking area, it was a clear view 100 feet upstream to the bridge over the river.

Bennett had the day off work from his job as a warehouse manager and distribution dispatcher for an industrial supply company. His plan was to cruise upstream past the bridge until he found a creek mouth, fish it for bass, catfish or crappie for a couple of hours, then hurry home to catch his 4-year-old daughter’s T-ball game that afternoon.

The water temperature was just over 50 degrees, and the day was sunny, in the mid-60s. That was a nice change after the rainy weather the week before, which had swollen the river and amplified its current, visible against the opposite bank some 160 feet away. On the shore, Bennett loaded the kayak with three rods and reels, bait, a tackle box and a fish finder. At the stern, he attached a small trolling motor.

Something was missing, though—he’d forgotten his outriggers at home. Normally he’d fasten them, pontoon-like, on either side of the little kayak to improve its stability. He looked out at the muddy river. Its surface was smooth, but sticks and leaves rushed past in the current. He’d have to be extra careful.

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Getting into trouble on the water

A burly man standing 6 foot 3 and weighing more than 240 pounds, Bennett eased himself into the boat, started the motor and pushed off, angling upriver toward the far bank, which was less obstructed by overhanging branches and debris. He’d gotten most of the way across when a confusion of currents—probably caused by the supports of the bridge—began spinning him around.

Uh-oh, he thought. This is probably not a good idea. Working the tiller, he pulled the kayak out of its spin and nosed it upriver. But almost immediately, it fell into another spin.

OK, this is definitely not a good idea. Let’s head back.

He pointed the kayak back toward the boat launch, but a crosscurrent broadsided him, and the little craft flipped. One second, he’d been sitting upright; the next, he was submerged in the shockingly cold, steadily moving water.

For 40-year-old John Reinhardt to have ended up at that same spot on the Elk River that morning is what believers might call a miracle and skeptics might call a fluke. He was spending the Easter break camping with his four kids, along with his sister Pattie Smith and her four children, on family land about 11 miles outside Athens.

His own kids, who ranged in age from 3 to 13, had surprised him by asking if they could go fishing during their camping week. Reinhardt couldn’t remember the last time he’d fished, but he had agreed and bought some gear. There were plenty of good spots closer to their land, but Reinhardt, without being able to articulate why, decided they’d fish near the Elk River’s Easter Ferry Road bridge.

While Smith and her kids went to collect some more gear, Reinhardt and his children pulled into the parking area around 11:30 a.m. The kids were chattering excitedly while Reinhardt parked and turned off the engine. As he stepped out of the truck, a loud gunshot rang out, alarmingly close by. He ducked back into the truck and retrieved his pistol from its locked case under the driver’s seat.

“I want you kids to stay here,” he said. “I’m going to see what’s going on.” Even as he spoke, a second shot shattered the peace of the still day. Gun in hand, Reinhardt stalked toward the far edge of the clearing, scanning it closely as he went. What was this? Someone “plinking” (casual ­target shooting)? Or was it something more serious, like a shoot-out? Or …

A third ringing shot cemented in his mind the other possibility: These were distress shots. “Hello?” he called out. From the river, he heard a faint “hello” in reply. “Are you good or not good?” he yelled. “Not good,” came the answer. Reinhardt ran toward the riverbank.

Running out of time

Things had gone from bad to worse for Bennett. When he’d fallen into the river, the frigid water had taken his breath away, jangling every nerve. Surfacing, he saw the kayak drifting beside him, belly-up. He tried to swim for it, but his clothing had become instantly waterlogged, and his rubber boots had filled with water. His life jacket, buoyed by the water, jammed up against his throat, choking off his breath.

Swallowing back panic, he kicked off his boots and swam toward the boat. If I can climb back up in there …

Kicking hard, he threw his arms over the hull and clutched at the submerged decking on the other side. Then he leaned back to flip the kayak—it didn’t budge. He tried a few times, but the boat seemed impossible to turn over.

Bennett knew he was wasting his time and energy while the current tugged him inexorably along. He needed to get back to land, but he’d never be able to climb up the steep banks of the near shore. His only hope was the boat ramp, some 145 feet back across the river. When he looked at his target, he realized with a jolt that he didn’t have much time—the current had already brought him dangerously far downstream. If it swept him past the ramp, there wasn’t another place to come ashore for miles, and he’d be overcome with exhaustion and hypothermia long before he got there.

He bid his kayak and gear farewell and began swimming furiously toward the boat ramp. The ill-fitting life jacket continued to choke him, hindering his breathing and his ability to swim. He unzipped it and tore it off, and the current snatched it from his grasp. Unencumbered but now in more danger than ever, he kept swimming. Eddies from the currents washed over him and filled his mouth with water. Already, the cold was stiffening his limbs.

Bennett looked up. There was no way he was going to make it to the ramp. But there in the water, some 25 feet from shore, was an overhanging branch from a large poplar tree growing right beside the ramp. If he could catch it, maybe he could pull himself to shore.

His hope renewed, he swam with everything he had. If I don’t make it to that branch, I could die here, he thought. Without a second to spare, he reached up and caught the branch just before the current swept him out of reach.

It was so ­slender—perhaps an inch in ­diameter—that he wondered whether it would snap. With his weight pulling on it, the end of the branch now lay in the water. Bennett pulled his elbows over it and found that he could rest with his legs trailing behind him in the current. But now what? Let go and swim the remaining 25 feet to shore? The current would carry him downriver away from the ramp. Climb up the branch? That, he realized, had been a wild fantasy, given his weakened state.

Then Bennett remembered: My phone! But when he reached into his pocket, he found that the phone was gone. As he checked his other pocket, his hand brushed against the Glock 21 pistol he always wore on his hip when he fished, in case of snakes or coyotes. Maybe he could signal for help.

He drew the pistol from its holster and held it in front of him. He had 13 rounds in the magazine. Shivering, he watched the bridge, waiting for a vehicle to show itself.

At last a car came into sight, and he fired three shots toward the opposite shore. The car didn’t stop. Minutes went by. Then another car, another three shots. No luck.

Bennett’s situation was growing desperate. He could scarcely feel his legs, and he could tell that his cognition was slowing. At last, another vehicle passed over the bridge. He fired once, twice—and then nothing. He ejected the dud round and fired a third shot. The car kept going. Three rounds left.

Another car droned by on the bridge. Bennett fired his final three shots and dropped the now-useless pistol into the river. But a second after his very last bullet hit the opposite shore, he heard a voice. “Hello?”

“How are you feeling?” Reinhardt called to Bennett. “Freezing cold,” Bennett said. “Man, I’m barely able to hold on.”

“I’m going to get you out of there,” Reinhardt said. “Hold on.” Bennett could not have picked a better rescuer than John Reinhardt. These days, Reinhardt worked as an information technology project manager and volunteered as a youth pastor, but he had fought in Afghanistan in the U.S. Army infantry, had received training in combat water survival and combat trauma, and had been a certified lifeguard back in high school. As a disaster-recovery volunteer, he’d pulled people out of car wrecks, set bones and rescued puppies. He saw his skills and experiences as a responsibility to help others.

Devising a plan

Reinhardt ran back to his truck. “There’s somebody in the water who needs help,” he told his kids. “I’m going to have to get into the water.” He turned to his eldest, 13-year-old Maelie. “I’m going to need you to help me,” he told her. He instructed 8-year-old Macie to stay in the vehicle and look after her younger two siblings, ages 4 and 3.

He knew it was only a matter of time before the exhausted Bennett lost his grip on the branch and was carried away by the current. If only he’d brought a rope along, he could have thrown it out to Bennett and hauled him ashore.

Unfortunately, he didn’t have all his usual emergency equipment with him, as he’d recently bought this truck and hadn’t yet transferred over all his gear.

He and Maelie scrounged for any kind of rope in their vehicle and Bennett’s. All they came up with was a 6-foot ratchet strap, an oversized trash bag and a roll of duct tape. With the bag and the duct tape, Reinhardt knew, they could improvise a flotation device that he could use. And Maelie could hang on to the ratchet strap in case he could use it later. He would have to get into the water and swim Bennett back to shore—a dreadful thought, considering how much Reinhardt despised cold water.

Still standing next to his truck, he called 911 and gave the dispatcher a “nine-line”—a terse, just-the-facts accounting of what was going on and what was needed. He explained that he’d be getting in the water, so the first responders should prepare for the possibility of two victims, not just one. The dispatcher had more questions, but Reinhardt cut in. “Hey, I need to get off the phone. I got to go help this guy.”

He hung up and handed the phone to Maelie. “Be ready to call 911 if anything happens to me,” he told her. They ran down to the water, where he swooped the trash bag through the air to inflate it, then taped it shut. With Maelie by his side, he said a quick prayer. “Give me a calm heart, God. Guide my actions. Protect him, and protect me.”

Embarking on a heroic rescue

The base of the tree that Bennett was clinging to stood just downstream of the boat ramp, leaning at a 45-degree angle over the water. Reinhardt stripped down to his underwear, climbed along the trunk above the current for a few feet, drew a breath and jumped into the water, holding the makeshift flotation device above his head.

Within seconds, he reached Bennett. “Here, hold on to this,” he gasped, passing Bennett the inflated trash bag. But Bennett couldn’t grasp the bag with his numb fingers, and it drifted off down the river. My fault, not his, Reinhardt thought. I made it too big to hold on to.

“It’s OK,” he said. “We’re going to swim to shore.”

“I don’t think I can use my legs,” Bennett managed to say. He’d been in the water for nearly an hour and was in the throes of Stage 2 hypothermia, with ­difficulty speaking and thinking, numbness and loss of motor function.

Bennett draped his arms over Reinhardt’s shoulders from behind, and they set out. Almost immediately, the current and Bennett’s weight pushed Reinhardt’s head underwater. He was a strong swimmer, but his 5-foot-9 frame weighed only about 155 pounds, a good 90 pounds less than Bennett. He’d taken on a herculean task.

He swam with all his strength, angling toward the boat ramp, desperate to hit shore at the clearing, where they’d have a chance of making it up the bank, which was about 8 feet high. But it wasn’t working. Again and again, Reinhardt’s head went underwater and he had to fight to resurface, gasping and gagging. Long experience had taught him to tamp down panic, but now he could feel it coming over him. Oh, crap, Reinhardt thought, we’re both going down the river. He had nothing left in the tank—his muscles felt dead with fatigue.

So he said a silent prayer: God, I need your strength right now to help him. With a sudden burst of energy, he finished the upstream swim, coming to rest at the base of the tree, where a mass of its roots jutted out of the muddy bank.

The water was too deep to stand, so Reinhardt laid Bennett’s chest over a slick, muddy outcropping and guided his arms through loops formed by the tree’s roots. The two men lay there for a long moment, spent—vomiting from exertion and from swallowing water. Now, how to get Bennett up onto dry land?

Getting a critical assist

Within a couple of minutes, a deputy from the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office arrived and peered down over the bank. “What do you need?” he called. “Rope,” Reinhardt answered. “Do you have any?”

“I don’t.”

“Maelie,” Reinhardt said, “give him the ratchet strap.” The deputy came partway down the embankment and lowered the strap to Reinhardt, who used it to fashion a makeshift harness, passing it around Bennett’s chest and fastening it to his belt loop. By now, Bennett was slipping in and out of consciousness.

For 10 minutes, the deputy pulled from above while Reinhardt pushed from below. But the deputy couldn’t get any footing on the steep, muddy embankment, and Reinhardt, barefoot and in his underwear, had nothing to stand on. He’d been in the water for at least 20 minutes and was in the early stages of hypothermia himself—­shivering and going numb in his extremities.

At last, a volunteer firefighter showed up with a 20-foot rope. He passed one end down to Reinhardt, who quickly tied it to the ratchet strap and then scrambled up the bank. The three of them, standing on dry ground, pulled, but Bennett kept slipping back down the bank, his limbs and clothing snagging in the roots. “Hold on,” Reinhardt said.

He climbed back down the bank and slid, again, into the frigid water. He set his right shoulder under Bennett’s butt, dug his hands and feet into the muddy bank, and called out, “One, two, three, lift!” With all his strength, he pushed up while the firefighter and deputy pulled on the rope. Bennett’s nearly lifeless body rose a few inches.

Reinhardt braced himself and called the cadence again. Inch by inch, using every ounce of their energy, the three men hauled Bennett up onto dry ground. He lay there, unable to move, scarcely able to speak.

Smith had arrived with the gear, and when she saw her brother shivering in his boxers, covered in mud and exhausted, her mouth dropped open. “Just another day in the life of John Reinhardt,” he quipped.

Moments later, the EMS arrived, loaded Bennett onto a stretcher and took him to Athens-Limestone Hospital. His core temperature had dropped into the low 80s, near the threshold of potentially deadly Stage 3 hypothermia. He later estimated he’d been in the water for nearly 90 minutes. He missed his daughter’s T-ball game, but by that evening, he was resting in his parents’ home with his little girl by his side. He was sore and exhausted, yet blessedly alive.

It wouldn’t be until almost bedtime that evening, huddled beside the campfire at his family’s campsite, that Reinhardt would really feel warm again. But for the moment, back at the Easter Ferry Boat Launch, he dried himself off, put his clothes back on—and unloaded the kids’ rods and reels from the truck. They’d come here to fish, after all.

Why trust us

At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

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What exactly is this troublemaker—and just how much of a risk is it? To get the story on this new health scare, I reached out to two marine ecology experts and one infectious disease doctor. Read on to find out how this microbe can harm your health, what to watch out for and whether it’s still safe to swim this summer. (Fingers crossed!)

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What bacterium is washing up on U.S. shores?

The bad-news bug is Vibrio vulnificus, a bacterium that causes life-threatening skin and gastrointestinal infections. While it has traditionally been most common in the warm coastal waters of Florida, Louisiana and Alabama, Vibrio vulnificus is now turning up—and posing a health threat—all the way up the East Coast.

What is Vibrio vulnificus?

The species is one of more than 60 subtypes of a broader group of Vibrio bacteria. Infections of Vibrio vulnificus can lead to necrotizing fasciitis, aka the dreaded flesh-eating disease, which causes soft tissue to die. In Latin, vulnificus means “inflicting wounds,” and that tells you everything.

“It can get in through a pinhole-sized cut in the skin, and you can die within 24 hours,” says Rutul Dalal, MD, an infectious disease doctor with Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center in Reading, Pennsylvania. As if that weren’t terrifying enough, if you eat shellfish contaminated with this bacterium, you can develop a serious and potentially fatal gastrointestinal infection.

Where does Vibrio come from?

These naturally occurring microorganisms thrive in warm, brackish water (where salt and fresh water meet), so Vibrio vulnificus can be anywhere, at any time, explains J.P. Brooker, director of the Florida Conservation Program at the Ocean Conservancy. “But excessive nutrient pollution in the form of sewage and runoff can cause Vibrio to bloom in excess and to go places where we don’t normally find it,” he adds.

In the Northeast, it used to exist “at very low levels that never caused any problems,” according to ecologist Christopher Gobler, PhD, a professor in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University, but it is now more common. In 2023, a New Yorker died of it, he says.

In the past several years, there have been Vibrio vulnificus infections in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. In 2026, a research team led by Gobler found Vibrio vulnificus hot spots in several New York estuaries (systems where ocean water and fresh water mix), including Sagaponack Pond and Mecox Bay on the South Fork of Long Island.

So why is it showing up more than ever before?

The biggest factor in Vibrio’s spread is—you guessed it!—climate change, which is causing warming water temperatures in the Northeast. “Given New York waters have been warming at three times the global average in summer during the past 20 years, higher densities are to be expected here,” Gobler says.

Pollution is a big part of the problem too. “It likes dirty, warm conditions,” Brooker says. Sewage and runoff from agricultural, municipal and commercial sources are increasingly manifesting as Vibrio hot spots and red tide blooms (a toxic overgrowth of algae), he notes.

Just how dangerous is Vibrio?

Infections from Vibrio vulnificus are true medical emergencies—and fast-moving ones. Without swift treatment with antibiotics, a Vibrio vulnificus infection can cause your flesh to discolor and rot, leading to worst-case outcomes such as loss of a limb, sepsis (a systemic overreaction to an infection) and death.

Infections can take several forms, none of them good. Skin-borne Vibrio vulnificus infections have a 13% fatality rate, and when Vibrio vulnificus progresses to a bloodstream infection, it is fatal 50% of the time, according to the Florida Department of Health. Infections that affect the gastrointestinal system have a 32% fatality rate.

Most deaths happen within two days, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

How do you get infected through your skin with Vibrio?

The bacteria enter through a cut in your skin. “The bacteria need a point of entry into the body to cause an infection, such as open wounds,” Gobler says. For this reason, the CDC recommends that anyone with a wound avoid contact with brackish water or salt water.

Not to scare you, but it is possible to contract Vibrio vulnificus even if you start your beach day with perfectly healthy skin. If you scrape up your feet on shells or sea glass, say, then step into water containing the bacterium, you could have a situation. That’s more or less what happened to Brooker, who isn’t just an expert in Vibrio—he’s also been infected. Ten years ago, while fly-fishing around St. Petersburg, Florida, he contracted Vibrio after stepping on a stingray (he got prompt treatment—more on that in a minute).

You can also contract a skin Vibrio infection by touching contaminated seafood. If you have an open cut, the CDC advises avoiding contact with raw seafood.

What are the signs of a flesh-eating infection?

If you’ve been in warm coastal waters and have any signs of an infection, you need to get it checked out in an emergency room, according to Dr. Dalal. Red flags to watch for include swelling, redness, warmth and pain that’s disproportionate to the size of the cut, he says. Do not wait for it to start oozing pus—you’ll want to get on antibiotics before it reaches that stage.

“The most important sign is rapidly increasing pain and swelling,” he says. Be sure to tell the ER providers that you were in warm salt water so they consider Vibrio.

How do you get a Vibrio GI infection?

These nasty gastrointestinal bugs come from eating contaminated shellfish. You’re most likely to get a Vibrio infection from bad oysters, clams or mussels, because they filter water through their body so they harbor more of it, says Dr. Dalal.

The fresher the seafood is, the less likely it is to make you sick. For that reason, “the FDA has put out guidelines saying that as soon as clams, mussels or oysters are caught, you need to immediately refrigerate them, while still on the boat,” Dr. Dalal adds.

Symptoms of this nasty infection often include watery diarrhea, nausea, stomach cramping, vomiting, chills and fever. It can be quite severe and require antibiotics, so if you have food poisoning from bad seafood, go to a doctor stat, or head to the emergency department.

What are the chances you’ll contract it at the beach this summer?

Infections may be on the rise, but they are still fairly rare. Since 2000, there have been only around 3,000 Vibrio vulnificus infections reported in the U.S.—about 150 to 200 per year, according to the CDC. (There are 80,000 Vibrio infections each year from additional species.) They are still most common in the Gulf states, though you can get exposed anywhere with warm coastal water.

Your chances of catching Vibrio go up as water temperatures rise, so they peak in the dog days of late summer. However, in Florida and other southern coastal states, water temperatures are already high, so there’s a chance of contracting it earlier in the season, Brooker says.

Is it even safe to go to the beach?

Don’t worry that your summer is ruined: You can absolutely still swim and enjoy water sports, experts say. Just stay alert for any signs that you’ve caught this rare but dangerous infection and get prompt medical attention. At the same time, if you have an open wound or you are immune compromised due to cancer, liver disease, advanced age or another condition, you should consider staying out of the warm water.

How can you stay safe?

Defense is the best offense. A few simple steps can help you minimize your chances of getting infected.

• Don’t hit the water with an open wound. “You should not swim if you have any cuts, especially if your immunity is compromised,” says Dr. Dalal. If you aren’t immunocompromised and really want to swim or boat, make sure to cover your open skin completely with a waterproof bandage, he adds.
• Don’t handle raw seafood if you have open wounds. Be especially careful to avoid touching clams, oysters and mussels, which put you at the greatest risk for Vibrio.
• Wear water shoes in coastal waters if you are immunocompromised. This can help prevent your feet from getting scraped, which could make you vulnerable to Vibrio, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
• Check for outbreaks before swimming. State wildlife agencies monitor for Vibrio, so check for alerts before going in the water, Brooker says.

What should you do if you think you’ve been infected?

If you’ve been in warm coastal waters and notice any signs of infection, don’t chance it—“go to the emergency room,” Dr. Dalal says. If you do contract a Vibrio vulnificus infection, you’ll need immediate antibiotics. Dr. Dalal says doxycycline, ciprofloxacin or levaquin are often given. “They can cover these infections fairly quickly,” he says.

Brooker is thankful he went to the ER when his foot swelled to the size of a football after stepping on the stingray. The doctors didn’t wait for his test results (which would have been positive for the infection) before starting him on intravenous antibiotics. He took three oral antibiotics at home and fully recovered.

“I grew up in Florida, and so I’ve heard nightmare stories about Vibrio infections my whole life. You must be vigilant,” Brooker says. “Being vigilant saved me from an uglier outcome.”

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Why trust us

At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Sources:

• Christopher Gobler, PhD, professor in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS) at Stony Brook University; email interview, May 20, 2026
• J.P. Brooker, director of the Florida Conservation Program at Ocean Conservancy; phone interview, May 21, 2026
• Rutul Dalal, MD, infectious disease doctor with Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center in Reading, Pennsylvania; phone interview, May 21, 2026
• Florida Health: “Vibrio Vulnificus”
• Massachusetts Department of Public Health: “Department of Public Health alerts public to rare Vibrio vulnificus bacteria in coastal waters”
• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: “Notes from the Field: Severe Vibrio vulnificus Infections During Heat Waves — Three Eastern U.S. States, July–August 2023”
• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: “About Vibrio Infection”
• Infectious Diseases: “Vibrio vulnificus epidemiology and risk factors for mortality in the United States, 2000–2022”
• Stat Pearls: “Vibrio Vulnificus Infection”

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Even if you’ve only caught the sport on TV or in passing, there’s a good chance you’ve underestimated how deep horse racing really goes. From royal roots and record-breaking finishes to massive prize money and split-second photo finishes, there’s a lot that makes the Kentucky Derby and the other big races so popular.

Read on for some fascinating facts about horse racing that trace its history and show why race day continues to draw crowds around the world.

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1. The Triple Crownis one of the most elusive titles in sports

To achieve it, a Thoroughbred must win three races: The Kentucky Derby kicks it off the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Two weeks later, the Preakness Stakes takes place at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. And three weeks after that, the Belmont Stakes is run at Belmont Park outside of New York City. (The ­final two legs will be held elsewhere this year as Pimlico Race Course and Belmont Park ­undergo renovations.)

2. All three races have existed since the 1870s

But it wasn’t until the 1930s, when Daily Racing Form sports writer Charles Hatton started referring to them as the triple crown, that the term ­became popular. It became official in 1950, when the Thoroughbred Racing Associations retro­actively awarded the title to Sir Barton, the first horse to winall three races (in 1919).

3. The Kentucky Derby is called the most exciting two minutes in sports

However, only two horses have finished it in that time. Monarchos ran it in 1:59.97 in 2001, and Secretariat put up the best time of 1:59.4 in 1973. Only three fillies (female horses) ­have won, and the biggest long shot to pull it off did so at odds of 91–1. Americans bet more than $10 billion on horse racing each year. Churchill Downs saw $349 million in wagers last Derby Day alone.

4. Fewer than 20 horses have won the Triple Crown

Arguably the greatest racehorse of all time, Secretariat is one of 13 horses that have won the ­Triple Crown. He won 16 of his 21 races, and placed lower than third only once—in his very first race. In its list of the 100 best athletes of the 20th century, ESPN put him at 35th, just behind Lou Gehrig. Secretariat isn’t the only racehorse on the list, but he’s the highest ranking by a mile—a familiar feeling for him.

5. Secretariat’s heart weighed about 22 pounds

This is nearly triple the average of 8.5 pounds, which greatly aided his stamina. It’s said that none of Secretariat’s sons inherited his huge heart, but someof his daughters did. Fun fact: All 19 entrants in last year’s Kentucky Derby were his descendants.

6. Up to 20 horses can compete in the 1.25-mile Kentucky Derby

Only 20 can race for its $5 million purse, which is spread across the top five finishers. Owners usually collect 80% of their horse’s winnings; the jockey and trainer split the remaining 20%. Both the 1.19-mile Preakness Stakes (with up to 14 entrants) and the 1.5-mile Belmont Stakes (up to 16) boast $2 million purses. The Belmont Stakes usually has the fewest entrants since it’s the last and longest race, making it the hardest to win. Thoroughbreds get just one chance at the Triple Crown because only 3-year-old horses are eligible for its three races.

7. A horse’s height is measured in hands

This is a unit of about 4 inches. To measure, hold your hands horizontally and count as you stack from the ground up to the bony ridge above the horse’s shoulder blades, an area called the withers. Thoroughbreds usually stand 16 hands and weigh 1,000 pounds.

8. Jockeys are short

Jockeys typically stand between 4 foot 10 and 5 foot 6. John “Red” ­Pollard, who rode the famously undersized Seabiscuit, was considered big for a jockey at 5 foot 7. It may seem that the horse is doing all the work, but jockeys are amazing athletes. Try holding a low squat for an entire race. It’s hard enough in your living room, let alone atop a half-ton horse thundering along at 40 mph.

9. Trotting is different from pacing

In harness racing, horses either trot or pace while pulling drivers behind them in lightweight two-wheeled “sulkies.” Trotting horses move their ­opposite fore and hind legs forward at the same time, while ­pacers move the legs on the same side of their bodies simultaneously. Since pacing is faster, pacers and trotters race separately. The sport’s biggest event is the Hambletonian Stakes in East Rutherford, New Jersey, a 1-mile trot for $1 million.

10. The NBA’s Indiana Pacers are named in part for the pacing gait

Their original home court was across from the harness racetrack at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. The Pacers ­aren’t the only crossover between the two sports: Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic spends offseasonsat his harness racing stable in his native Serbia. “That’s kind of my ­secret goal, to bea driver … and race horses,” he said on the Curious Mike podcast.

11. Hip-hop legend MC Hammer owned a horse

His name was Dance Floor, and he placed third in the 1992 Kentucky Derby. Owners get creative when naming their racehorses because no two can have the same name. The Jockey Club keeps a registry and has rules, including a ban on vulgarity—though somehow the name Hoof Hearted slipped by. (Say it out loud.)

12. Hats are a staple of horse racing

Even if you don’t follow horse racing, you may tune in for the fascinating fascinators many attendees wear. The colorful hats are the vision of Churchill Downs founder Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr. (yes—grandson of the explorer William Clark, as in Lewis and Clark), who admired the pageantry of European races. Once the Kentucky Derby started being televised in the 1960s, hats became extra extravagant as spectators sought to stand out in the crowd.

13. Each Triple Crown racehas a signature cocktail

The Kentucky Derby’s mint julep (mint simple syrup and bourbon poured over crushed ice and garnished with fresh mint) might be the most famous. But the Preakness Stakes’ black-eyed Susan (vodka, elderflower ­liqueur, pineapple juice, lime juice and orange juice, shaken and garnished with an orange wedge) and the Belmont Stakes’ Belmont Jewel (bourbon, lemonade and pomegranate juice, garnished with a lemon twist) also offer refreshing respite on a hot day at the track—or in your living room. Cheers!

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At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

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Fast-forward to today. I wake up and check my wearable tracker to see how many hours I’ve slept. Then I input what I ate for breakfast so I can monitor my calorie intake. My tracker also counts my steps, and I aim for at least 10,000 each day. And every once in a while, just because the information is available, I monitor my heart rate (during exercise and at rest) and my blood oxygen level. If I wanted, I could also keep an eye on a lot more, such as how much water I’m drinking each day and my stress level at any point in time.

And I’m not alone. It’s estimated that more than 1 in 5 American adults now use a wearable biotracker of some kind, including watches, rings, patches, earbuds, clip-on devices and smart clothing. Whether someone’s trying to lose weight, get more fit, sleep better or monitor a chronic medical condition like high blood pressure or diabetes, there’s a wearable device that can offer relevant information. But there are also questions about whether having access to all this information is actually making us fitter and healthier … and whether there’s a danger of too much information being potentially harmful.

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Keeping people on track

As with a lot of new technology (think AI, for example), there are good uses and some not-so-good uses that come with the hardware. When utilized appropriately, these products can indeed help people manage medical conditions or just become more aware of their health and fitness. “Overall, I find the use of health/fitness trackers to be positive,” says Seth Creasy, PhD, a metabolism and obesity researcher at the University of Colorado’s Anschutz Medical Campus. “Trackers help individuals monitor their behavior or health, which can help bring awareness to areas of health that need to be improved. Trackers can also help with motivation and goal setting.”

For instance, if you’re aiming to walk at least 10,000 steps a day and you look at your tracker and see you’ve walked only 8,000 steps, it may inspire you to go out and walk 2,000 more. Trackers may also nudge people toward their goals by offering reminders or digital incentives in the form of badges, in-app competitions with friends or others, or the quest to “close the rings” on Apple Watches by meeting daily goals.

Many researchers are looking to quantify just how effective trackers are in helping people monitor their health and improve their diet and fitness. While there are few long-term studies that offer definitive data, a literature review published in the Lancet Digital Health Journal found that across short-term studies of almost 164,000 participants, the use of an activity tracker improved physical activity by an average of 1,800 extra steps and about 40 minutes more walking each day, which is a significant change.

In addition to trackers for logging data tied to diet and fitness goals, many people have health wearables, recommended by their doctors, to help manage chronic conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes. For example, continuous blood sugar monitors, in the form of skin patches, mean that people don’t have to prick their fingers to monitor glucose levels. The monitors provide nearly constant information, usually delivered to a phone app.

“These devices will never replace the medical expertise of a physician or medical professional,” says Creasy, “but they do provide useful information outside of those visits.” He adds that even people without chronic conditions can benefit. “For example, an individual may have normal blood pressure at their annual physical, but when they measure it daily at work or at home, they notice it tends to be higher. This may be something to discuss with a physician. And without using the tracker, they would be unaware of it.”

The downsides

But while there are undeniably many benefits to using wellness devices, studies have pointed to a number of potential hazards as well.

The first issue has to do with accuracy and consistency. “The trackers can be accurate for certain metrics like steps, time in bed and heart rate,” says Creasy. “However, they aren’t able to measure these things accurately all the time.” Creasy says he has used the devices in several research studies and has seen numerous occasions where the data says one thing but the person tells another story.

He explains that sometimes, for example, wearables struggle to detect the difference between sleeping time and sedentary behavior. “That’s a problem,” he says, “since sedentary time is typically thought of as a negative health behavior, and sleep is a positive one.” While tracker technology continues to improve, there’s always a margin for error in the data.

Another problem is how people understand and use the data that’s provided. “Information viewed in isolation doesn’t provide the complete picture,” says Jessica Matthews, a doctor of behavioral health and a professor of integrative wellness in the College of Health Sciences at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego. “What’s important is that one piece of information be used as part of a greater whole. That includes objective data like blood pressure readings and glucose monitor readings.”

With medical devices, especially, experts recommend that people discuss their use and information with a health professional.

The psychological toll

Perhaps the biggest potential problem with using these products is how they can affect the psychological health of those who are susceptible. Experts explain there’s a tendency for some people to fixate on the information their tracker provides and to become overly reliant on it. And for perfectionists, failing to meet their fitness or sleep goals can cause feelings of stress or failure.

Monitoring calories consumed and calories expended can help some people lose weight. But others may become discouraged and give up the effort if the data they’re seeing isn’t what they were hoping for. And for others, an ongoing stream of information may exacerbate eating disorders by encouraging a constant fixation on diet and calories. Similarly, says Matthews, “for some people, exercise can become compulsive in a very unhappy way. Is it great to track steps? Not for that person.”

While trackers can deliver an impressive amount of information, more is not necessarily better for everyone. That’s especially true for people who are prone to experiencing a physical symptom and then becoming obsessed with it. “Imagine if you have a technology that allows you to do that throughout the day,” says Matthews. “You notice that your heart rate is higher than it was 10 minutes ago. Now it’s slower. It can open the door to a kind of neurotic behavior.” For these people, more information can be a source of physiological as well as psychological stress.

Phil Lane, MSW, a psychotherapist in private practice in Pennington, New Jersey, recommends that people who have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder or who are prone to feeling ­anxious, especially over health issues, be aware that using trackers might make matters worse. He recommends checking with a therapist or mental health clinician about possible drawbacks before deciding to use one.

Signs of over-tracking

The many kinds of activity monitors, meant to give us more information about our bodies, can conversely get in the way and distance us from ourselves. Experts cite a tendency for people to rely on the information from the device rather than tune in to what they’re feeling (for example, looking at a tracker to see how well you slept, rather than noticing how rested you feel).

“I use them myself, and I recommend them in my practice,” says Haley Perlus, PhD, a sport and performance psychology expert. “But I think when we become too attached, too reliant, we lose self-reflection. We need to assess how we’re feeling instead of relying on a device.” Some signs of over­reliance, says Perlus, are when people can’t leave the house without the device or believe their workout or steps don’t “count” because they weren’t wearing a tracker. “And if someone asks you how your workout is, and you say ‘I don’t know … I have to go look at my tracker,’ that’s a sign you may need to put it down.”

“It’s a red flag if you’re looking at these numbers for an unnecessary amount of time,” adds Lane. “That’s not a helpful behavior, and it can get in the way of living your life. Do you need a wearable to tell you if you’re feeling stressed? I would say no. If you’re having a panic attack, you don’t need a device to tell you you’re having a panic attack.”

If you’re using technology, be very aware of your relationship to it, recommends Lane. “The human brain likes measurements,” he says. “There’s a psychological draw to information like this. But it’s not always healthy.”

Adds Matthews: “Trackers provide an opportunity for people to get greater insights about their health and fitness, but they don’t tell the whole story. And they shouldn’t come at the expense of listening to your body. If we’re only worried about the data, we might actually miss the most important data of all.”

I plan to take all this advice to heart and be less like Bridget Jones. I’m not going to give up my health monitor, but I’ll start using it differently. Instead of consulting the tracker in the morning to see how many hours I’ve slept, I’ll ask myself how rested I feel. And while I want to continue using it to encourage me to get my 10,000 daily steps, I’ll take breaks from it so I can tune in to my body. Because we are all so much more than a set of numbers and data.

Tips for tracking smart

“Used correctly, health monitors help people not only achieve goals but also set goals,” says Perlus. “You can see what you’ve been doing, know your baseline and see if you can challenge yourself and increase it. And they give you real information to make sure those goals are appropriate. They’re great for accountability, education and giving us information. And I think they’re fun, which is a good motivator.”

Here’s how to get the most out of your device:

Take it one goal at a time

“Be clear on what your goal is,” says Matthews. Today’s technology can monitor so many different things that the possibilities can be overwhelming. Sleep? Stress? Exercise? Diet? Pick one to start.

Choose the product that fits your needs

Online reviews can help you select a reliable device that’s within your budget and measures what’s most meaningful to you. If improving your sleep is your most important goal, look for a tracker that measures sleep accurately and offers lots of information around that specific topic. “And if your main goal is to increase your step count, then a simple pedometer may be all you need,” says Matthews. “You can buy one for a few dollars, and there have been studies showing they’re actually quite accurate.”

Have a plan for how to use the information

Just capturing your data won’t make you healthier. These devices provide information, but unless you take action and change some habits, there won’t be any benefit. Most wearables link to health and fitness apps that can suggest actions based on the data that’s gathered. For instance, if you sit at a desk all day, the apps can trigger reminders to get up and move every half hour or so.

If the tracker indicates you’re not sleeping as long or as soundly as you optimally should be, the apps can offer tips on how to improve that. If the tracker detects that you’re stressed, the apps can offer breathing exercises or guided meditation sessions to help. And if you want to start a new exercise routine, the apps can help you choose one that meets your fitness level.

Be aware of your body signals

Don’t ignore what your body is telling you. “You don’t want to have the information from a tracker overtake or hijack your awareness,” says Matthews. “Ask yourself, ‘How am I feeling today?’ and ‘Do I feel rested?’ The body knows when it’s tired.”

Keep the information in perspective

Recognize that one piece of information doesn’t tell the complete picture. Many of the things that trackers measure go through normal fluctuations throughout the day. Blood pressure increases with activity. Blood sugar varies depending on what we eat. Heart rate, stress level and fatigue also vary. You may need to discuss the data from your device with your health-care provider to understand what it means.

Take periodic breaks

“I would challenge people who are using a fitness tracker all the time to go out and move their bodies without it for a day or a week,” says Perlus. “Sleep for a week without looking at the data. It’s good for self-reflection and a good tune-up for yourself.”

Why trust us

At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

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She just wrapped a four-month acting job for Netflix in Vancouver, during which she flew back to Los Angeles every weekend to see her husband and two kids. She’s going to spend the summer on the East Coast for a guest-star role on Season 3 of Apple TV’s Your Friends & Neighbors with Jon Hamm (“It’s such a fun show, so I’m excited!”). Come August, she’ll take time off to travel in Southeast Asia, and she jokes she’s still recovering from spending six months in the boiling heat in Thailand in 2024 to play TV star/frenemy queen bee Jaclyn Lemon on The White Lotus.

“I’m very intentional about how and where I spend my time,” says Monaghan. “I also have an understanding of the duties and responsibilities that I’ve taken on, and I have gratitude for that. So it’s important for me to sleep well and be the best version of myself the next day.”

To get her solid eight hours (well, more or less), Monaghan relies on meditation and wellness supplements. She recently partnered with drug-free sleep aid Natrol for the launch of two new products, Ultra Sleep and Ultra Energy, that feature a mix of melatonin and vitamins. “I didn’t want to get in the routine of being prescribed sleeping medication,” she says. “And I still get a very easy, nice, restful sleep.”

On this Thursday in May, Monaghan is lounging on a couch on the Upper West Side in Manhattan, looking fittingly wide-eyed and alert one day after receiving the Impact Award at the Skin Cancer Foundation’s 2026 Champions for Change Gala. She tells Reader’s Digest about how she manages it all.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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Reader’s Digest: Why is getting a good night’s sleep so hard for you?

Michelle Monaghan: Being midlife and in perimenopause is a big issue. I also just have a very busy life, and I’m working in multiple time zones and at all hours of the day.

Reader’s Digest: What’s your trick for falling back to sleep when you wake up in the middle of the night?

Michelle Monaghan: I actually utilize a tried-and-tried meditation technique called box breathing, which I learned from an army medic. You have to visualize a box—you do four breaths in, four breaths hold, four breaths out for each corner of the box. Honestly, as soon as I say to myself that I’m going to do box breathing, I’m automatically back to sleep.

Reader’s Digest: As a travel pro, how do you avoid that draggy feeling after a long flight?

Michelle Monaghan: I drink dandelion root tea. A lot of times when I travel, I get very bloated and, to be frank, sort of gassy. My feet can be swollen. But dandelion tea is a natural help that helps me feel a lot better. I will ask for hot water and use my own tea bags! The earthy taste may take a little bit of getting used to—but I’m telling you, it’s so simple, and it really works. I also drink a ton of water to keep hydrated—that’s why I get the aisle seat!

Reader’s Digest: Do you feel like your life has been in fast-forward since The White Lotus?

Michelle Monaghan: Absolutely. I’ve been working in this industry pretty steadily for 25 years and have been able to do so many different things. But being a part of that series completely reignited my career at a time when I thought that maybe some of the better roles that I’ve done might be in the past. Now some of the best roles and the best projects are coming to me at this age—and it’s not lost on me how fortunate I am.

Reader’s Digest: So give us the rundown on your upcoming projects.

Michelle Monaghan: I have a very funny, raucous-like Netflix comedy called Little Brother coming out June 26 with John Cena and Eric Andre. It’s a lot of fun! Then I take a 180 from that with The Whisper Man, which streams August 28 on Netflix. That’s a crime thriller with Robert De Niro and Adam Scott, and it was just everything you can imagine and more.

Reader’s Digest: De Niro seems like such an intimidating guy. Is he?

Michelle Monaghan: He’s not at all! He is the warmest gentleman. I mean, it goes without saying, he’s incredibly talented. But I’m so fond of him. And having had the opportunity to work with him and be in the same room with him was such a fun working experience.

Reader’s Digest: How hard is it being away from your two kids so much?

Michelle Monaghan: I’d be a fool to say it wasn’t tough. But they’re a little older [daughter Willow is 17; son Tommy is 12]. And my husband [graphic artist Peter White] works from home, so they have stability. They’ll be with me this summer when I do Your Friends & Neighbors, and they came with me to Thailand. My son was like, “Mommy, this is the best vacation we’ve ever taken.” I was like, “Oh, OK …”

Reader’s Digest: Are you planning a family getaway this summer?

Michelle Monaghan: We’re going on a big family vacation in August, which I’m very excited about—we’re going to go back to Indonesia because we fell in love with that region so much.

Reader’s Digest: You’re a melanoma survivor who just wrote the book, A Kids Book About Sun Safety. What’s your takeaway advice in terms of summer skin care?

Michelle Monaghan: You have to apply sunscreen as part of your base. For women in particular, it should be the last thing. Do your toner, do your serum, do your face moisturizer and then put on your sunscreen. Then do your makeup. You know, 1 in 5 people in the U.S. will get skin cancer by the age of 70. It’s the most common form of cancer, but it is preventable! So get your annual skin checks, because early detection is really what saves lives.

Reader’s Digest: What’s your go-to skin-care product?

Michelle Monaghan: I used Ciele SPF cosmetics when I was filming on The White Lotus. It was really good. Just be sure to reapply every two hours—or every time you get out of a little water, or if you sweat prior to the two hours. That’s really important.

Reader’s Digest: Alright, it’s lightning round time! Dog or cat?

Michelle Monaghan: Bunny! We’ve had a house-trained pet bunny for years, and we recently had to say goodbye to it. We are allergic to dogs and cats in our house.

Reader’s Digest: Aisle or window?

Michelle Monaghan: Aisle … I drink too much water! So you know why.

Reader’s Digest: Day or night?

Michelle Monaghan: Day. But if you would have asked me 20 years ago, I would have said night.

Reader’s Digest: Would you rather travel in the past or the future?

Michelle Monaghan: Wow, probably the past, I suppose. Go and revisit a few places that I’ve been. Yeah, I intend on having lots of travel in the future anyway.

Reader’s Digest: Favorite breakfast food?

Michelle Monaghan: I love congee. It’s a Southeast Asian breakfast—it’s like a rice porridge, cooked in a broth, and then you can add boiled egg and chicken. It’s very delicious. Otherwise, it’s good old-fashioned eggs and bacon.

Reader’s Digest: If you weren’t an actress, you would be a …

Michelle Monaghan: I studied journalism at Columbia College. I use the “who, what, when, where, why and how” method and technique in journalism as a backstory for all my characters.

Reader’s Digest: If you could give advice to your younger self, what would it be?

Michelle Monaghan: Wear sunscreen!

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My first real experience with a summer celestial event came in 2020, watching the Perseid meteor shower at a campground in rural Nebraska. Far from city lights, I set the alarm on my phone and rolled out of my tent in the middle of the night to watch meteors flash overhead every few minutes. I had traveled there specifically to witness the meteor shower because I knew it would be quiet, uncrowded and dark. I’d never seen anything like it, and to this day, it remains one of my most treasured travel experiences.

Looking for your own summer celestial adventures? I talked to Lucas Snyder, a planetarium specialist at the Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium in Tucson, Arizona, and consulted astronomical calendars from NASA and others to find out when the best celestial events will occur this summer. And you’re in luck: Snyder says many of this summer’s astronomical events will be visible nationwide, though some places offer a better chance to catch them than others.

Read on for the must-see astro events this summer, along with ideas for where to find them and what to know in advance.

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What are the must-see astronomical events of summer 2026?

The fun planetary happenings actually kick off before the summer solstice on June 21, which is the year’s longest day and marks the official beginning of astronomical summer. The solstice also produces the shortest night of the year, which skywatchers will notice immediately. Here’s what to look out for and when.

June

Planetary conjunctions

All of Earth’s neighboring planets will be visible at some point this summer, but an extra-special arrangement will occur between June 6 and 10, when Venus, Jupiter and Mercury will be above the western horizon. To see the (very bright) Venus and Jupiter only a pinky finger apart, with Mercury in line but a bit dimmer, look outside on June 8 and 9. This trio of planets will be spaced out across the sky until around July, and come June 17, a crescent moon will also join the cluster.

How to see it: Look out above the western horizon after sunset (no telescope necessary). You can see the conjunction across the country, but an especially good option is Bend, Oregon, at the University of Oregon’s free Pine Mountain Observatory. The high elevation, dry air and low chance of rain and clouds increase your chances of a great viewing. To combine astro events with food and fun, wander into Bend’s Worthy Brewing, which even has its own observatory and 16-inch telescope.

Strawberry Moon

June’s full moon, known as the Strawberry Moon, rises low along the horizon on June 29. The name comes from Native American seasonal berry-harvest traditions rather than color, though strawberry moons tend to appear larger and warmer-toned than expected. Because this moon follows one of the year’s lowest moon paths, photographers often capture striking images of it rising behind landscapes and landmarks.

How to see it: Look toward the southeastern horizon at sunset to catch the Strawberry Moon climbing into the sky. Weather permitting, it will be visible across the U.S. and is best seen at moonrise.

The Milky Way

Though you can see the Milky Way throughout the year, summer is peak season in the Northern Hemisphere for spotting its bright galactic core. Light pollution keeps many of us from seeing this dense mass of stars, but if you can get under dark skies from late June through August, you’re in for a treat. The galactic center becomes visible, arcing across the southern sky after midnight under dark conditions.

How to see it: Head away from cities and give your eyes 20 to 30 minutes to adjust, then look toward the south. One of the best places to catch the core will be around Tucson, Arizona, particularly at Mount Lemmon and the Kitt Peak National Observatory. Take advantage of the powerful telescopes at the observatory, or for an experience right in Tucson, stop by Sky Bar, an astronomy-themed, solar-powered cafe and bar that sets up telescopes on its patio and has local astronomers on hand in the evening.

July

Predawn planetary parade

Throughout July, early risers should keep an eye out for a loose planetary grouping featuring bright planets along the ecliptic (the path the sun, moon and planets take in the sky) before dawn. These summer mornings create excellent opportunities to see multiple worlds in a single glance. Venus is often the standout, shining so brightly it’s visible even against the morning twilight.

How to see it: Find the ecliptic by imagining the sun’s path through the sky during the daytime. (If you’re not sure, do a preview the day before.) Before sunrise, the planets should be visible near this line across much of the U.S., and while binoculars can enhance the view, a telescope isn’t required.

Delta Aquariid meteor shower

Active from mid-July to mid-August and predicted to peak from July 28 to 30, the Delta Aquariid meteor shower is frequently overshadowed by August’s Perseids. But patient observers can still catch dozens of Aquariid meteors per hour under ideal conditions. According to NASA, moonlight can make the Aquariids tough to see, so your best bet is a moonless night away from city lights.

How to see it: The shower favors southern U.S. latitudes, making Arizona, Texas and parts of the Southeast particularly rewarding viewing spots. Another great place to catch the Aquariids is in Nebraska’s Sandhills region (near the city of Valentine), which will host its annual 2026 Nebraska Star Party from July 12 to 17. The much-anticipated party boasts excellent viewing conditions and coincides with both the meteor show and peak Milky Way visibility.

Saturn rising

Visible nationwide by midsummer, Saturn becomes increasingly prominent in late-night and predawn skies. Through even a modest telescope, its rings can create one of those unforgettable “wow” moments for first-time observers.

How to see it: Look to the east-southeast between midnight and dawn. Saturn can be seen by the naked eye, but you will see its rings only through a telescope. Public telescope nights at observatories across the country (and even in dense metro areas like New York City, where the Amateur Astronomers Association regularly hosts volunteer-led viewing events across the city) can make this especially accessible for travelers.

August

Perseid meteor shower

The Perseids remain summer’s headliner and one of the year’s most beloved celestial events. Earth passes through debris left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle, producing bright meteors and occasional fireballs. Under dark skies, viewers may see dozens of meteors per hour.

This is where that Nebraska campground memory comes rushing back for me—the quiet anticipation between meteor streaks and the collective excitement whenever a particularly bright one crossed overhead. Peak viewing is expected around August 11 to 13, and this stunning astronomical event will be visible across the U.S.

How to see it: For exceptional viewing, consider somewhere with very low light pollution, like rural Nebraska or California’s Channel Islands National Park, which is one of the darkest national parks in the country. As this is a major event, there will be countless viewing parties in the U.S. (such as the Annual Perseid Meteor Shower and Stargaze in Indiana Dunes State Park), so see what’s available in your area if you aren’t able to travel too far.

Asteroid viewing opportunities

Summer skies often bring favorable positioning for the brighter asteroids, such as Vesta, the second-largest asteroid in the solar system. These rocky worlds typically appear as star-like points of light, and astronomy apps can help pinpoint their time and location.

How to see it: Asteroid viewing rewards patience and a little preparation, and it’s best done with binoculars or a telescope. You can see asteroids throughout August, and spotting one for the first time feels surprisingly satisfying—like discovering a secret moving among the stars.

Partial lunar eclipse

Summer closes with one of the season’s most memorable astronomical events: a partial lunar eclipse. During the event, which happens on the evening of August 27 to 28, Earth’s shadow gradually moves across the moon, darkening a large portion of its surface.

How to see it: Just look up! Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses are safe to watch without special equipment, and this one will be visible across North America.

What are some stargazing tips for viewing astronomical events?

Summer’s biggest celestial displays don’t necessarily require advanced equipment, but a little preparation can dramatically improve your experience. Finding a dark sky and allowing your eyes to adjust are key. According to Snyder, Venus and the lunar eclipse are bright enough that light pollution won’t make a big difference in terms of visibility, but dark skies are very important to creating a good viewing experience for other events.

Here are some tips for peak dark sky and astro event viewing:

• Get away from cities: Rural areas, national parks and open landscapes dramatically improve visibility. Snyder says the Sonoran Desert near Tucson (aka the Astronomy Capital of the World) has clear skies around 300 nights per year, and Pima County has restrictions to minimize light pollution created by the city and its suburbs.
• Check light pollution maps before heading out: Dark-sky resources can reveal unexpectedly good locations. Use DarkSky to locate certified dark-sky destinations.
• Bring binoculars: Many celestial objects look fantastic through simple 10×50 binoculars.
• Download sky-identification apps: Apps like Sky Guide and Star Walk 2 can identify constellations and planets in real time.
• Arrive before sunset: Set up chairs, blankets and gear while it’s still light outside.
• Allow your eyes 20 to 30 minutes to adjust: Your eyes need time to adjust between daytime mode and nighttime mode.
• Use red flashlights instead of white light: If you don’t have a red light, cover your white-light source with red cellophane.
• Pack layers and snacks: Summer nights can still cool quickly in mountain or desert environments.
• Look broadly rather than staring at one spot: Meteors can appear anywhere.

Because summer’s best celestial events unfold over weeks rather than minutes, the real magic often comes from simply being outside long enough to see what happens next.

Why trust us

At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. For this piece on summer astronomical events, Cassandra Brooklyn tapped her experience as a travel writer and guidebook author to ensure that all information is accurate and offers the best possible advice to readers. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Sources:

• Lucas Snyder, planetarium specialist at Arizona’s Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium; interviewed, May 2026
• NASA: “Most Notable 2026 Astronomical Events: A Year of Watching the Skies”
• Space.com: “June full moon 2026: When, where and how to see the Strawberry Moon”
• BBC Sky at Night Magazine: “The ecliptic and the Solar System”
• NASA: “Southern Delta Aquariids Meteor Shower”
• Starwalk: “Where Is Saturn Tonight? How to Find Saturn and See Its Rings”
• EBSCO: “4 Vesta”
• National Park Service: “Stargazing in Zion”

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Costco has built a reputation for quietly listening to shoppers and dropping products with little fanfare, only for everyone to suddenly be talking about them. Recently, the warehouse giant did it once again with an addition that’s already sparking excitement among fans, inspiring comparison posts and sending shoppers on “Did my store get it yet?” missions.

The newest arrival isn’t flashy, but for certain shoppers, this has been a long time coming. And if the online reaction is any indication, Costco may have just milked another winning idea. To get the full scoop on this new dairy drop—and why it’s got shoppers so fired up—I spoke with food science consultant Ed McCormick, author of the upcoming book The Food Questions America Is Asking. Let’s pour out the details.

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What kind of milk did Costco just introduce?

The new addition is Kirkland Signature Ultra-Filtered Reduced Fat Milk, a lactose-free 2% milk that many shoppers immediately started comparing to cult favorite Fairlife. The product contains 13 grams of protein per serving and has nutrition numbers that shoppers say are remarkably close to Fairlife’s popular 2% version. While Costco already carries other lactose-free milks, such as Kirkland Organic Lactose Free, this new option is positioned as a higher-protein alternative with a different nutritional profile.

What is ultra-filtered milk?

Ultra-filtered milk starts out as regular milk, but it undergoes a specialized filtration process that changes its composition. “Ultra-filtration means the milk is passed through extremely thin filtration membranes that separate milk components by size,” McCormick says. “The procedure enables makers of milk to concentrate ingredients like protein and calcium that we know are great for good health … while reducing lactose and some of the natural sugars present in milk.”

The filtration is similar to the steps used in the cheese and other dairy industries. “Molecules such as water, lactose and some minerals can pass more easily, while larger proteins are retained and concentrated,” McCormick says. The end result is still milk, but with a modified nutritional profile.

What’s so special about ultra-filtered milk?

Ultra-filtered milk may look like any other carton in the dairy aisle, but its growing popularity comes down to what’s inside the packaging. Ultra-filtered milk has steadily moved from niche product to mainstream category, driven by high-protein diets, macro tracking and demand for lactose-free options. Here’s why.

It has more protein and less sugar

One of the biggest draws is the nutritional profile. Compared with standard 2% milk, ultra-filtered varieties generally offer:

• About 50% more protein
• About 50% less sugar
• Similar calcium levels
• Similar fat levels, depending on the variety

For comparison, regular 2% milk typically contains around 8 grams of protein and roughly 12 grams of sugar per cup, whereas Costco’s ultra-filtered milk boosts protein to 13 grams and has 6 grams of sugar—without a dramatic increase in calories.

“The concentration of protein is one of the most significant selling points because many consumers now associate protein with fullness, fitness and healthy aging,” McCormick says. Protein supports fullness and muscle maintenance, especially in older adults and athletes, and that and the lower sugar profile can be very appealing to consumers, he adds.

It’s lactose-free

Ultra-filtered milk’s lactose-free status isn’t simply a bonus for some consumers; it can be the deciding factor. For people who are lactose intolerant, McCormick says, this can mean fewer issues such as bloating, gas and digestive discomfort. According to McCormick, much of the lactose is naturally removed during filtration, and manufacturers commonly add enzymes that break down any remaining lactose.

It tastes creamier and sweeter

Many shoppers describe ultra-filtered milk as richer, creamier or sweeter. “The sweetness comes in part from lactose breakdown,” McCormick explains. “When lactose is broken down into glucose and galactose, those sugars are sweeter to the human palate.” As for the consistency, it’s the higher protein concentration that contributes to a creamier mouthfeel, he says.

It lasts longer in the fridge

Another major perk of ultra-filtered milk—especially for Costco shoppers buying dairy in bulk—is extended shelf life. Most ultra-filtered milk is typically processed using ultra-high-temperature (UHT) systems and under highly controlled conditions, which dramatically reduce spoilage, according to McCormick.

So what is ultra-filtered milk’s shelf life? It typically lasts about 45 days unopened, which is much longer than the roughly two weeks or so you get from conventionally pasteurized milk. That makes it especially appealing for households that don’t go through milk quickly.

What should you use ultra-filtered milk for?

If you regularly drink milk straight from the glass or with cereal, the nutrition upgrade can be an easy win. Though McCormick notes, “Consumers would likely not notice large differences beyond a creamier texture and slightly sweeter taste for most everyday cooking and drinking.”

And because of its higher protein content and creamy texture, he says, ultra-filtered milk performs especially well in several applications:

• Protein shakes and smoothies: The added protein gives drinks more staying power without needing extra ingredients.
• Coffee drinks and lattes: The creamier mouthfeel can create a richer texture.
• Overnight oats: Higher protein means a more filling breakfast.
• Creamy soups and sauces: Extra protein and concentration can add body and richness.

What shouldn’t you use ultra-filtered milk for?

Ultra-filtered milk still works as a substitute in most recipes, but there are a few situations where traditional milk may be preferable, according to McCormick.

• Sensitive baking recipes: “The modified protein and sugar profiles could slightly affect browning [and] texture,” he notes.
• Delicate custards: Higher protein content can subtly affect texture.
• Recipes where exact browning matters: “The limited supply of lactose could affect your Maillard browning reaction,” he says, meaning certain dishes may brown differently.

When will Costco’s ultra-filtered milk be on shelves?

You might have to be patient. Though the product first appeared on Costco shelves in Texas in April, and it has been spotted in Southern California, it hasn’t rolled out nationally—yet.

What are people saying about it?

On Reddit, shoppers are genuinely excited:

• “I was so pumped to find this yesterday!!!” said one Redditor.
• “Been looking for a Fairlife replacement because of cost,” said another.
• “This is exactly what I’ve been waiting for Costco to put out! … Hope it hits my warehouse soon,” chimed in a third.

Of course, not every review has been glowing. A handful of shoppers said they noticed a different aftertaste. “This milk taste[s] awful!!! 🤮 Water[ed] down! It does not compare to Fairlife or Mootopia,” said one unhappy customer on Reddit.

And now for the moment of truth: How good of a deal is it?

This may be where Costco really wins.

The Kirkland version reportedly sells for around $10.59 to $11 for three 64-ounce cartons (1.5 gallons total). Comparable Fairlife milk often costs roughly $5 to $8 for 52 ounces (less than half a gallon) at traditional supermarkets. In other words, Costco shoppers are getting premium-style milk at a bulk-warehouse price—one of the main reasons the product is generating so much attention. And shoppers have been quick to point out the value:

• “I love Fairlife, but it is now $6 to $8 near me and the 2% is difficult to find. If the Kirkland one tastes like the Fairlife, it will be worth the change,” said one Redditor.
• “Pretty good. Fairlife is $5.32 for 0.4 gallon at my local grocery store,” said another.

When a product sparks this much conversation—especially in Costco circles—that usually means shoppers think they’ve found something worth stocking up on. And for people chasing more protein, lower sugar, lactose-free options or simply a better deal, Costco may have just delivered exactly what they’ve been waiting for.

RELATED:

• The Surprising Reason Why Costco Baked Goods Are Never Piping Hot
• Try This 1 Simple Trick to Get the Freshest Rotisserie Chicken at Costco Every Time
• This Little-Known Perk Helps You Get Money for “Free” Costco Groceries—Here’s How

Why trust us

At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. For this piece on ultra-filtered milk, Jo Ann Ligouri tapped her experience as a journalist and food blogger to ensure all information is accurate and beneficial to readers. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Sources:

• Edmund “Ed” McCormick, food science consultant, founder of Cape Crystal Brands and author of The Food Questions America Is Asking: How Journalists and Scientists Are Redefining What We Eat; email interview, May 19, 2026
• Reddit: “New Kirkland Ultra Filtered Milk”
• South Dakota State University Extension: “What Is an Ultra-Filtered Milk Product?”

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The post Costco Just Launched This Fancy Milk That Fans Have Been Clamoring For—Here’s What the Buzz Is All About appeared first on Reader's Digest.

We asked readers to share memories of when they felt that patriotic surge, and their answers were touching and surprisingly specific. Some happened during major life milestones, while others came in the middle of totally ordinary days.

Read on for the moments, big and small, that will make you think about what it means to be an American.

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Basking in old glory

The flag flying in my yard reminds me of those I saw at military posts all over the world while serving in the Army. I think of helping to preserve our freedoms in the United States and other countries seeking support. I’m also proud of my Hungarian wife’s becoming an American citizen so she could enjoy the same freedoms and pledge her allegiance to the flag too. It reminds me of those who have served, serve today and will serve. —Bruce Mizell, Seymour, Tennessee

Where dreams come true

Visiting Disney World or Disneyland feels quite American to me. It was all the plan of visionary Walt Disney, who had the tenacity and grit to make it happen even though he had little more than a suitcase and a dream when he ventured to California. Still, he started one of the most recognizable companies in the world. His story feels like a fairy tale most possible in America. —Diane Schroeder, Norman, Oklahoma

Building a legacy

My grandfather was a coal miner of Welsh descent, living and working in Pennsylvania. He built a summer cottage at Elk Lake in the Pocono Mountains with lumber he got to keep as payment for tearing down an old house. To this day, I feel blessed to stay at the cottage every summer. My granddaughter is the sixth generation to enjoy the fruits of his labor. —Cindy Hansen, Toms River, New Jersey

Home sweet home

I came to the U.S. from Vietnam as a refugee when I was 15. After years in the States, visiting Vietnam for the first time was emotional—I recognized my homeland, but it was no longer my home. I didn’t feel that I belonged as I once did and was reminded of how much the U.S. had changed me. That’s when I understood: I’m an American now. When I cleared customs at LAX, an agent said, “Welcome home.” Tearing up, I realized, America really is my home. —Thuy Vu, Fountain Valley, California

Sharing the heavens

Sidewalk astronomy is a way to share the universe with strangers. It’s like playing guitar on the street, minus the open case. I set up my telescope in a city park on a clear night and the show begins. “Have you seen Saturn through a telescope before?” I’ll ask passing strangers, inviting them to take a look. “I can see the rings! It looks like the photos!” people exclaim with delight. “If you’re not yelling, you’re not seeing it,” I say. “So, where are you from?” They tell me, in a tapestry of accents and places that take me around the globe as we wander across the sky with my telescope. It makes me feel hospitable, curious, bold. Sharing the universe is when I feel most American. Keep looking up. —Josh Urban, Rustburg, Virginia

Moments of triumph

Over-the-top events like the Academy Awards or the Super Bowl feel very American. We have the gift and ability to turn anything here into a moment of global participation. We’re a scrappy group, and we take advantage of opportunities to create, succeed and win. —Joanna Gleason, Kalispell, Montana

States and unions

My wife and I were vacationing in Colorado when two men walking by said, “Isn’t it great?” with huge smiles. We had no idea what they were talking about, and they told us the Supreme Court had just legalized same-sex marriage on the federal level. We’d married years earlier when it became legal for us in California, but to cope, we often joked about the 1,138 rights we’d lose when we crossed state lines. But that day, we truly felt welcomed into the fold of America. —Lisa Miller, Portola, California

Standing tall, together

A few weeks after 9/11, I returned to work in lower Manhattan. My employer issued flag lapels, which I proudly wore. As I looked around my subway car, I realized almost everyone wore something similar. There’s lots of diversity in New York City, but in that moment, we were all just Americans, looking at one another and nodding. I certainly don’t miss the cause or its repercussions, but I do sometimes miss the camaraderie. —John Albert, Deposit, New York

Swearing in

Flags, military bands, flyovers and “The Star-Spangled Banner” at sporting events all inspire patriotism. But I feel the most American when I see immigrants being sworn in as new citizens on TV news broadcasts. Hearing the Pledge of Allegiance and acknowledging the hard work it took for them to reach that moment takes my breath away. —Anne Rettig, Perrysburg, Ohio

Our great debates

It sounds counterintuitive, but I feel most American when I disagree with U.S. policies and actions. Let me explain. I’m a Vietnam War veteran fortunate enough to have returned home healthy. But I can’t ever forget that 58,000 Americans died, and I don’t always support our actions overseas. I take pride and comfort in being able to openly disagree with our government, and I feel most American when I criticize my country from a place of concern and love. —Ed Barrett, Pratt, Kansas

Don’t mail it in

Sending mail as we do in the U.S. is a minor miracle. I can pay less than a dollar, and someone will hand-deliver my letter to my grandmother thousands of miles away. The idea that ­someone—a fellow American—makes the effort to reach my house nearly every day? An overlooked blessing. —Madison Chan, Watertown, Massachusetts

Gaining perspective

My wife and I fulfilled a lifelong dream of taking a National Geographic trip to Botswana. Many of our guides were young adults and promising students from the area, and they expressed admiration for Barack Obama’s then-recent inauguration. They had visualized the world as ruled only by those who took power by force rather than by law and were amazed that leadership change took place without discord or military intervention. The trip was quite memorable, for a variety of ­reasons. —John Miller, Bemidji, Minnesota

Why trust us

At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Fun United States Trivia Questions

U.S. State Flags and Their Meanings

What Surprised Me About the U.S.

The post 13 Readers Share the Moments That Make Them Feel the Most American appeared first on Reader's Digest.

Our editors, along with our colleagues at Taste of Home, pulled together the breakfast staples people swear by, from easy-to-make sandwiches and cold cereal poured before school runs, to warm beignets dusted in sugar, hearty goetta, sizzling huevos rancheros and regional favorites that say a lot about how each place starts its day.

Hungry yet? Read on to see what breakfast looks like in your state.

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Alabama: Golden Eagle Syrup

Short stacks, buttermilk biscuits and warm waffles all deserve drizzles of this honey-flavored, honey-colored syrup. The slogan on the bottle says it best: This stuff is the “Pride of Alabama.” Folks in Fayette feel especially proud, given that the factory has earned the town the nickname Syrup City.

Alaska: Reindeer sausage

Made with a mix of meat—reindeer (domesticated caribou), beef and pork—these sausages sizzle alongside sourdough pancakes, an Alaska staple since the gold rush, when prospectors kept sourdough starter on their person to keep it alive. (Yeast was hard to come by on the frontier.)

Arizona: Breakfast burritos

Soft tortillas swaddle seasoned potatoes, scrambled eggs and melty cheese, creating a portable, protein-rich parcel made all the more eye-opening with spicy chorizo, chiles and fresh salsa.

Arkansas: Biscuits and chocolate gravy

Some like their sauce thin and silky; others prefer it almost as thick as pudding. But either way, when buttermilk biscuits are anointed with a ladleful of “sopping chocolate,” you’ll want to soak up every delicious drop.

California: Avocado toast

The Golden State harvests about 90% of American-grown avocados, which make hearty (and heart-healthy) meals when spread on multigrain toast. In a land of such agricultural abundance, you can pair avocado toast with a fruit smoothie and hit your five-a-day nice and early.

Colorado: Denver omelet

Eggs, ham, peppers, onion and sometimes cheese: You know this diner classic (also called a western omelet), but did you know it was first served between slices of bread? The “Denver sandwich” was popular in the country around 1950. Nowadays, the toast is more likely to come on the side.

Connecticut: French toast

Stars Hollow isn’t real (sorry, Gilmore Girls fans), but Connecticut has lots of quaint little towns like it—along with diners like Luke’s, where French toast was the longtime special. Nutmeggers know their namesake spice is essential to the batter, adding another layer of cozy comfort to the brunch favorite.

Delaware: Scrapple

These bricks of pork scraps, cornmeal and spices are big throughout the Mid-Atlantic, but Delaware makes the most of them. Don’t dwell on what’s inside; just focus on their taste (similar to sausage) and texture: crispy on the outside, tantalizingly tender in the center.

Florida: Guava pastries

While visitors to the Sunshine State might start their days with Mickey waffles, many residents prefer pastelitos (“little pastries”), a familiar term even among Florida’s non-Spanish speakers. These flaky, glazed Cuban delicacies come with a variety of fillings, some of them savory, but the classic is guava and cream cheese. Of course, what better to wash them down with than a glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice?

Georgia: Bacon

Before Banana Ball blew up, the Savannah Bananas’ main rival was the Macon Bacon, a summer collegiate baseball team—with a mascot called Kevin (get it?). In 2023, the city of Macon added a bacon trail, featuring 19 local eateries with recipes that celebrate the beloved breakfast side. Try all 19 (not exactly a hardship) and earn a season ticket to see the Macon Bacon play.

Hawaii: Spam musubi

The canned meat, pan-fried to perfection with a sweet soy glaze, perches atop sticky rice sprinkled with furikake (a Japanese seasoning mix), all tied together with a strip of toasted seaweed. This grab-and-go bite is the total package, ready to jump-start busy mornings and breezy beach days alike with the sweet-and-umami punch locals love.

Idaho: Hash browns

Let’s call a spud a spud: Idaho produces more potatoes than any other state. Many of them are destined for the shredder, then the fryer, before being served across the country. In fact, the 24/7 breakfast chain Waffle House sources its spuds strictly from family farmers in southeastern Idaho.

Illinois: Apple pancakes

Lines start early at legendary Chicago pancake houses Walker Bros. and Apple Villa, where the sized-to-share baked apple pancakes come with a custardy interior and a bounty of caramelized Granny Smith apples on top.

Indiana: Cinnamon rolls

Rolled by expert hands and baked to nearly the size of your head, gigantic and generously frosted cinnamon rolls are a must-eat attraction in Indiana’s Amish country, including at the region’s famous huge flea market.

Iowa: Casey’s breakfast pizza

Far from leftovers, these pies at Casey’s, the Iowa-based gas station and convenience store chain, are meant for the morning, with cheese sauce or sausage gravy on pizza crust, plus scrambled eggs, cheddar and mozzarella, topped with bacon, sausage or veggies. Grab a slice and a coffee—maybe a scotcheroo too!—and breakfast (to go) is served.

Kansas: Hash brown casserole

Expect a hearty plate in the heart of America: eggs, bacon, pancakes and—perhaps the (morning) glory of them all—hash brown casserole. The homey delicacy combines hash brown potatoes with cheese, your choice of “cream of …” soup and a crispy, buttery topping. (Cornflakes are a common choice.)

Kentucky: Breakfast Hot Brown

The standard version of this open-faced hot turkey sandwich with bacon, tomato and Mornay sauce (a cheesy bechamel) could be considered a brunch item. But many Kentucky cafes move it to breakfast territory by putting it on an English muffin or a biscuit and adding an egg or two to the equation.

Louisiana: Beignets

Big Easy mornings come with a shower of powdered sugar over hot, plump squares of fried dough that visitors and locals alike line up for. Between bites, sipping a slightly bitter chicory coffee balances the beignets’ sweetness.

Maine: Ployes

Not quite crepes, ployes (rhymes with boys) are similarly thin, griddled goodies that cook on just one side. (No flipping necessary.) With only five ingredients—buckwheat flour, wheat flour, baking powder, salt and water—they let their toppings, including other Maine specialties such as blueberries and maple syrup, be the stars of the show.

Maryland: Crab Benedict

Eggs Benedict, meet the Chesapeake Bay. The breakfast classic of poached eggs and Canadian bacon on an English muffin with hollandaise sauce gets a simple swap here: crabmeat for the Canadian bacon.

Massachusetts: Corn muffins

One of just a handful of states with an official state muffin, Massachusetts picked the corn muffin (perhaps it grew tired of all the cran­berries) in 1986. Bay Staters’ beloved Dunkin’ Donuts also deserves a mention here—although not all Dunkin’ locations carry corn muffins, many in Massachusetts do.

Michigan: Cereal

Battle Creek, Michigan, also answers to the name Cereal City. It’s where W.K. Kellogg created cornflakes and C.W. Post struck gold with Grape-Nuts, launching a long line of easy meals and enthusiastic mascots including Toucan Sam and Tony the Tiger.

Minnesota: Breakfast hot dish

Casseroles are cultural phenomena in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, where you’re more likely to hear them called hot dishes. The standard morning model has eggs, cheese and sausage with Tater Tots on top, dontcha know?

Mississippi: Grits

No single southern state is the ultimate authority on grits. But they are massive in Mississippi, where they combine with notoriously creamy Mississippi Sin dip (featuring cheddar cheese, cream cheese and sour cream) into one sumptuous and scrumptious casserole.

Missouri: Homemade Pop-Tarts

Ever since it was reported that Taylor Swift had baked homemade Pop-Tarts for Travis Kelce (and other Kansas City Chiefs linemen) to celebrate a win in the 2023–2024 season, similar toaster treats have popped up at pastry shops all over the Show-Me State.

Montana: Huckleberry pancakes

Tart-sweet huckleberries find their way into all kinds of treats here, like bear claws and the coffee cake called huckleberry buckle. Families fold freshly foraged huckleberries into pancake batter and griddle it up with pride.

Nebraska: Breakfast Runza

Fans of the fast-food brand Runza have been begging for a breakfast version of its eponymous pocket sandwich (which features ground beef and cabbage). The chain occasionally acquiesces—albeit at select stores and on specific days, often to raise money for charity. When a Lincoln location offered ham, egg and cheese Runzas one day in April 2025, the last one was gone by 9 a.m., and the store collected $1,600 in donations.

Nevada: Steak and eggs

Whether or not you’ve been up all night (what happens in Vegas …), juicy steak and eggs (“steggs” for short) with a side of crispy potatoes and toast will get you back on track for the day ahead.

New Hampshire: Corned beef hash

Irish immigrants breathed new life into dinner leftovers of boiled corned beef, cabbage, potatoes and onion by chopping and frying it all up in the morning. Some folks add beets and call it red flannel hash, a nod to the color—and to the attire of New Hampshire’s loggers.

New Jersey: Taylor ham/pork roll

The only debate in the Garden State over its favorite egg-and-cheese sandwich is what to call the meat inside it: Taylor ham to those in the north, and pork roll to those in the south.

New Mexico: Huevos rancheros

In the Land of Enchantment, breakfast comes with a question—red or green? That is, which type of Hatch chile sauce to top a plate of sunny-side-up eggs nestled on lightly fried tortillas (beans and cheese optional). On the side, a warm sopaipilla dipped in honey helps take the edge off the spice.

New York: Bagels

It’s no secret New Yorkers take pride in their bagels, often citing the softer water in New York City as the reason for their superiority. (In reality, their method of boiling the bagels before baking them makes more of a difference.) A simple schmear of cream cheese will do, but hungrier New Yorkers from Brooklyn to Buffalo might go all in and make it a “BEC” by adding bacon, egg and cheese.

North Carolina: Krispy Kreme doughnuts

As long as the Hot Now sign is lit up, indicating that a fresh batch is coming off the conveyor belt, Krispy Kreme can be breakfast, lunch or dinner to Tar Heels. But dunking an Original Glazed into a cup of coffee is a surefire start to a great day.

North Dakota: Caramel rolls

Also dubbed the Dakota Roll, this ooey-gooey goodie starts with a pan of pillowy-soft cinnamon rolls baked in a pool of buttery caramel (said with two syllables here: CAR-mull). After cooling a smidge, the whole shebang is inverted so the sweet stuff seeps into every swirl.

Ohio: Goetta

GET-uh (an admittedly Americanized pronunciation) goes back to German immigrants adapting their own version of grützwurst, a grain-based sausage. The combination of pork, spices and oats (which are right at home in Ohio—Quaker Oats got its start in Akron) has become a Buckeye staple. It’s often sliced into patties, pan-fried till crispy and served alongside runny eggs.

Oklahoma: Chicken-fried steak

Sooners salivate over chicken-fried steak day and night, so it’s up to the rest of the meal to make it feel like breakfast. Handy, then, that Oklahoma officials designated an entire state meal. It stars chicken-fried steak, of course, but also includes sides that work well in the a.m.: grits, biscuits and strawberries.

Oregon: Toast with marionberry jam

The deep purple marionberry is an Oregon original: Developed in the state in the 1940s and grown almost exclusively in the Willamette Valley, it is sweeter than a blackberry and makes a juicy jam.

Pennsylvania: Chicken and waffles

Far from the fried fare you find in the South, Pennsylvania Dutch chicken and waffles features a creamy chicken stew spooned over waffles that are often made in a grill pan, not an electric waffle maker. (This is Amish country, after all.)

Rhode Island: Jonnycakes

Our smallest state is deeply divided over these cornmeal pancakes, right down to how to spell them. (Some prefer johnnycake or even journeycake.) The biggest dispute, however, is over how to make them: In South County, for example, the cornmeal is combined with boiling water, and the cakes come out thick. In Newport County, it’s mixed with cold milk for a thinner result.

South Carolina: Shrimp and grits

Also called breakfast shrimp, this dish is a staple of the South, combining creamy grits with creek-caught shrimp from the South Carolina Lowcountry.

South Dakota: Kuchen

Coffee and kuchen (KOO-ken, German for “cake”) is a combo South Dakotans embrace from daybreak to dessert. This coffee cake is usually filled with custard and fruit (such as apples, peaches, rhubarb or prunes), and it’s often so sweet that many who partake in the ritual keep their coffee black.

Tennessee: Biscuits and gravy

Sure, lots of southern states lay claim to biscuits and (sausage) gravy. But in Tennessee, Volunteers readily pour the peppery white sauce over buttermilk biscuits. Cracker Barrel, which first opened in Lebanon, Tennessee, before spreading into 43 more states, serves 200 million biscuits each year.

Texas: Breakfast tacos

Lone Star mornings have come wrapped in warm tortillas since long before 2017, when breakfast tacos became the official state breakfast. The usual fillings include soft-scrambled eggs, cheese, bacon, and beans or potatoes. Chorizo and cilantro may be optional, but in Texas, hot sauce is not.

Utah: Utah scone

These scones aren’t the traditional teatime variety: These Utah favorites are fluffy pillows of deep-fried dough (similar to sopaipilla or fry bread), best served warm and slathered with butter, honey or—the best of both worlds—honey butter.

Vermont: Maple syrup

Whatever the vehicle for it, be it flapjacks or fresh snow (not kidding), pure maple syrup is the only acceptable option in Vermont, which produces the most of it by a mile—more than 3 million gallons last year.

Virginia: Country ham

Nestled next to eggs or tucked into ­tender biscuits, country ham is king in the commonwealth. One true southern staple sees it grilled like steak and served with red-eye gravy made from its own drippings and strong coffee. (The bitterness of the coffee brings out the smoky flavor of the ham.)

Washington: Coffee

Nutritionists may disagree, but in the state that gave us Starbucks, a cup of coffee (when large enough) can be breakfast in and of itself.

West Virginia: Buckwheat cakes

In these parts, folks gather for all-you-can-eat “buckwheat feeds,” an ode to Appalachian resilience during the Big Frost of June 1859, when early settlers turned to hardy buckwheat after their other crops failed. In pancakes, it lends a toasty, slightly bitter note that’s just begging for a good douse of sorghum syrup or apple butter.

Wisconsin: Bloody Mary

If you’re going to drink before noon, you might as well make a meal out of it! Sconnies famously like their Bloody Marys bountiful—with celery, cheese curds, beef sticks, bacon, pickles, dilly beans, olives and maybe even a li’l burger on top. Don’t forget the sidecar (a small beer served alongside). It just might be the most Wisconsin way to start the day.

Wyoming: Cowboy breakfast

No fuss. No frills. Just fuel. It starts with coarse coffee grounds simmered in a pot over a fire, with a little eggshell in it to cut the acidity and help the grounds settle before pouring. The rest cooks in cast iron: fried eggs, potatoes and smoky elk sausage, all sizzling together in the skillet.

Why trust us

At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

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The post America the Tasty: The Best Breakfast in Every State appeared first on Reader's Digest.

Half the memories of destination weddings are the disasters they spawn. Take the Tuscany destination wedding where the bride-to-be shared on Reddit that she had offered to help a struggling relative with airfare. It was a nice gesture, but unfortunately, word spread, and soon a dozen family members and their plus-ones also expected the couple to pay for their travel. And that’s when the lovebirds decided to elope.

These days, destination celebrations aren’t limited to nuptials. A recent AAA survey found that 76% of Americans planning trips in 2026 say they’ll base them on life milestones like graduations and anniversaries. With that in mind, you might consider these destination celebrations for some of life’s equally passport-worthy occasions.

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Destination divorce party

When Alison of Memphis, Tennessee, finalized her divorce at age 40, her friends didn’t send flowers. Instead, they handed her round-trip airline tickets to Miami. “We called it my Single­moon,” she wrote on Reddit.

The six women arrived at their hotel, where the staff greeted Alison with a “Just Divorced!” tiara and sash. They toasted with “Alimony-tinis” and shot glasses printed with the slogan “Take a Shot, I Just Untied the Knot.”

“It felt silly at first, but then like a fresh start,” Alison says. “Especially when the concierge handed me a cupcake with a ball and chain on it, and we went clubbing until 2 a.m.”

Sure enough, Evite data shows that divorce party invitations have soared to a record high. Some hotels advertise “divorce party packages” with spa treatments and breakup playlists including songs like “I Will Survive,” “Since U Been Gone” and “Truth Hurts.”

“The act of throwing a divorce party may not only serve as a ritual act to acknowledge the end of a chapter,” says social psychologist Theresa DiDonato of Loyola University Maryland. “It could also reflect a way to embrace a new identity as a single person, separate from the ex.”

Need party favors? Walmart sells “The End of an Error” balloons and “I Do, I Did, I’m Done” banners. Etsy offers a candle labeled “Smells Like Freshly Signed Divorce Papers.” And Amazon features stickers printed with “So Long, Mr. Wrong” and temporary tattoos that say “I Never Liked Him.”

Destination funerals

To honor her father’s final request, Andrea from Tucson, Arizona, re­searched ways to scatter his ashes in Hawaii. She discovered that Hawaii Ash Scatterings offers private memorial voyages in the form of sunset cruises. As the small chartered boat drifted off Oahu, a Hawaiian kahu (“minister”) began a soft chant while his assistant lifted a conch shell to his lips and blew a long, echoing blast. Family members cast biodegradable leis and flower petals that floated gently on the water, and the kahu released monarch butterflies. A sunset dinner on deck completed the evening.

“They took care of everything, from food and drinks to booking a ukulele player,” Andrea recalled on Tripadvisor.

Cruise lines like Royal Caribbean now quietly offer sea burials with private ceremonies on deck—provided you bring the required paperwork (death certificate and cremation certificate), the ship is at least 3 nautical miles from shore (per EPA regulations) and the ashes are contained in a biodegradable urn that is tossed into the sea. No literal scattering of ashes is allowed, as other cruise guests frown on Grandpa’s ashes fluttering into their mai tais.

Doreen de Villalvilla from Apopka, Florida, honored her husband this way and found the process smoother than she expected. A ship’s officer led her small group to a lower deck, where she tossed the urn into the wake as sunlight shimmered on the water. Two days later, she posted on Cruise Critic that she received a certificate marking the exact longitude and latitude of the burial at sea—a touching memento of a serene farewell.

She is not alone. Nearly 6 in 10 Americans have attended a funeral in an unusual setting, according to the National Funeral Directors Association. Some choose to scatter a loved one’s ashes in Yosemite National Park (permit required); others march to the cemetery in a jazz funeral procession through the streets of New Orleans. Cultural anthropologist Anita Hannig, author of The Day I Die, says she sees destination farewells as “part of a larger trend … of families transforming traditional funeral rites into something much more personalized and individually curated to match the spirit of the departed.”

Which brings us to this stellar goodbye. Celestis Memorial Spaceflights hosts launches of cremated remains at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. When the company blasted the ashes of Star Trek’s James “Scotty” Doohan into orbit, his widow, Wende Doohan, described the experience as surprisingly joyful: “You just know they are somewhere yelling, ‘Yahoo!’ ”

Destination buddymoon

A tropical honeymoon turned awkward quickly when one newlywed discovered an unexpected surprise waiting in the resort lobby: her husband’s best friend and his wife. As she explainedon Reddit, her husband had secretly invited them. The honeymoon quickly morphed into a group trip—shared excursions, group dinners and “zero intimacy.” When the angry bride finally confronted her oblivious groom, he shrugged and suggested they could take a private trip “another time.”

The “buddymoon”—turning a romantic, once-in-a-lifetime getaway into a traveling circus—has become increasingly common. A survey conducted by Prezola, a U.K.-based wedding gift list service, showed that 14% of engaged couples consider the idea. Some newlyweds are shunning the once-sacred honeymoon because so many couples now live and travel together before marriage. They see their shared honeymoon as a way to extend the wedding celebration into one long, happily ever after-party.

Historically, “the real purpose or goal of a honeymoon is for the couple to connect and spend quality time—alone,” says relationship expert Terri Orbuch, PhD, author of 5 Simple Steps to Take Your Marriage from Good to Great. “The honeymoon is the time to bond and remind each other why they married in the first place.” But today’s couples, she says, “are oriented toward making the celebratory fun last longer. After putting so much work, time and money into the wedding, they want the celebration with everyone to keep on going.”

Of course, inviting friends or relatives to join a conjugal escape tends to escalate “for better or worse” to decidedly worse. Group honeymoons reportedly often backfire when friends party late (forcing the couple to choose their posse or each other), relatives wrest control, or the newlyweds pretend to have food poisoning just to get some time alone. Yet the appeal persists. And with privacy cut from the guest list, “just married” no longer means “do not disturb.”

Destination birthday(gone wrong)

On TikTok, a young woman named Lizzy shared a video of the moment she surprised her mother with airline tickets to Bucharest for her birthday, an idea sparked by hearing her mom say she wanted to go there. Lizzy expected tears of joy. Instead, her mother just looked confused. Turns out her mom had actually said she wanted to “book a rest,” not a foreign vacation. But instead of a quiet weekend at home, she was suddenly packing for Romania.

Destination birthday celebrations sound great in theory. You travel somewhere fabulous, toast another trip around the sun and post pictures on social media to make all your other friends jealous. What could possibly go wrong? (Besides everything.)

According to People, one anonymous woman’s 40th birthday plans backfired after she asked her friends to join her for a weeklong Caribbean vacation costing more than $5,000 per couple. When the group refused to take out second mortgages for the privilege, she gave them the silent treatment. So much for turning 40 gracefully.

If you’re invited to a celebration outside your budget, personal finance expert Erin Lowry, author of Broke Millennial Talks Money, suggests: “Go with the compliment sandwich. Start with a positive, state that you can’t go and include a reason why, then end with an alternative. It could look like this: ‘I absolutely want to celebrate with you, but unfortunately taking a trip just isn’t in my budget right now. Let’s do happy hour or dinner when you get back and you can tell me all about the trip!’ ”

Of course, not everyone gets the memo. People reports that another woman suggested a trip to Asia for her 23rd birthday, but when her friends found that too expensive, they planned a cheaper getaway for the same ­weekend—without her.

Destination midlife crisis trip

Ah, middle age—a time of self-reflection prompted by the realization that too many birthdays can kill you.

At age 45, retired Navy veteran Nick Kush didn’t buy a shiny sports car, the standard midlife crisis splurge. Instead, he bought thermal gloves and Arctic boots. A few months later, he was skydiving over Union Glacier, 690 miles from the South Pole, with a team of ­fellow veterans on a mission to free-fall over all seven continents in seven days (and they wound up doing it in six days and six hours, a new world record).

Antarctic Logistics & Expeditions organized the team’s first leap (the outfitters also offer a weeklong package that includes tent camping on the polar plateau and, for most thrill-seekers, a heart-pounding $36,000 price tag). The minus-25-degree wind chill put a deep freeze on any regrets about aging.

“Only a handful of people on earth can say they’ve skydived over Antarctica,” says Kush. “My biggest fear isn’t dying. It’s being stuck to a recliner when I’m 85.”

Kush and his teammates’ adventure raised money for Folds of Honor, a charity that provides scholarships for families of fallen or disabled service members. “When you retire from the military, everything stops,” says Kush. “You’ve got to find a new mission. I realized I can still live a great story, and that’s what I’m trying to do.”

“Experiencing early signs of an aging body in middle age may awaken a desire to get started on one’s bucket list,” says psychologist Margie Lachman, a professor at Brandeis University.

Indeed, the marketing firm Grand View Research reports that travelers in their 50s now make up 26% of the adventure tourism market. And adventure companies are cashing in on the midlife itch, selling high-risk, high-budget escapes to travelers eager to prove they’ve still got what it takes—plus ibuprofen and a heating pad. An Australian outfit literally called Mid Life Adventures runs long-distance motorcycle treks through Mongolia, India and Nepal, pitching them as unforgettable experiences for 40- to 70-year-olds with the time, money and desire to step beyond their norm.

Destination tastings

Nowadays, foodies venture far beyond Napa Valley for wine tours, Kentucky for bourbon pilgrimages and Portugal for olive oil tastings.

“Picklesburgh is something you have to attend at least once in your life,” says Lori of Hanover, Maryland, who visited the multiday pickle festival in Pittsburgh with three friends. The event features everything from pickle ice cream to pickle beer, pickle-themed Christmas ornaments, a pickle-eating contest and pickle bobbing. Lori and her group sampled pickle margaritas, fried pickles and pickle fudge—a funky blend of tangy, salty and perplexing. Attendees can also ride a bucking mechanical pickle under a gigantic pickle-shaped balloon. One YouTube reviewer called Picklesburgh “an experience I will always relish.”

“What we eat and drink can bring us joy,” says Cheryl Stanley, a senior lecturer at Cornell University’s Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration. “And traveling so we can expand our knowledge about a place, food or beverage, or to meet a cheese maker or sake producer, can take that joy to the next level by creating lasting memories.”

In Waikiki, Hawaii, the Spam Jam Festival celebrates the state’s favorite canned meat with Spam tacos, Spam sushi and Spam wontons, drawing tens of thousands of devoted fans. “If you’re looking for creativity, this is it,” commented Tiffany from Fairfax, Virginia, on Yelp. “I’m a food explorer, so I wanted to try all the unique Spam offerings—and I’ll admit, I didn’t really like most of them,” she confesses, although she concedes that the Spam Wellington “was pretty good.”

Some tastings veer toward outright daring. In Wiscasset, Maine, the annual Sustainable Supper with Edible Insects at the Maine Tasting Center begins with a cocktail hour featuring drinks like an Oaxacan margarita rimmed with crushed toasted agave worms. Rather than formal hors d’oeuvres, guests nibble on toasted grasshoppers and roasted crickets. A four-course dinner features dishes like mealworm dumplings with beetle chili crisp, and the event ends with party favors of insect-based sweets, including scorpion suckers.

One guest, Sam Chatto of South Portland, Maine, says the ants speckling the cornbread “looked like poppy seeds.” Then came the real test. “A taco with beetles and mealworms was visually intimidating,” he says. “There was no mistake that you were eating bugs.” So, how were they? “Great,” says Chatto. “They may have added a crunch, but in reality, that faded into the background.”

When all is said and done, it’s not just a matter of taste. It’s a matter of place—and how far you’re willing to go.

Why trust us

At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

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What’s your wish for America? The New York Historical asked that all-important question, and more than 10,000 people, in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., shared their best thoughts for our nation’s future.

Read on for some of the most inspiring messages shared, and visit OnOur250th.org to post your own.

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Service

• I hope that we will restore thefaith in what used to be known as public service; that is, elected representatives serving all the people. Not self-service, not for personal financial gain or power. For the benefit of the people. —Jennifer from Washington, D.C.

Hope

• That we are actively pursuing big, bold aspirational futures that are worthy of our children and their children and the generations to come. —Kara from Maryland
• My hope is for an America where everyone is respected for their talents, gifts and intelligence. An America where we proudly support the Constitution of the United States as the best example of democracy. A diverse, equitable and inclusive country. —Barbara from Virginia
• The problems we currently face can onlybe resolved if we work together. The people of America have always joined together to resolve conflict. Let’s do it now. —Sherryfrom Florida

Equality

• For women to be paid equally. —Evie from Ohio
• I wish for world peace, kindness and serenity for all. —Ellen from Texas

Community

• I wish that we could return to celebrating learning and knowledge by supporting our libraries and museums. I wish that we could return to making communities and the acceptance of others, even if they are different. —Morgan from Arkansas
• On this, America’s quarter millennium anniversary, I wish the American people more social interaction with neighbors and countrymen, while cutting down dramatically on social media. Live in the real world. No more screens. —Wesley from Illinois

Democracy

• A thriving democracy, healthy public debate, strong and independent press, and the relentless pursuit of the enduring ideals of liberty, justice and equality for all. May we keep working together to make the dream real and honor our shared humanity. —Kristin from Michigan
• I pray that we return to the desires of our forefathers and their intention to create “one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” —Bonnie from Arkansas
• I wish for democracy to shine bright in my country. I plan to be part of the solution! —Gary from Connecticut
• My wish for America is for everyone to respect and appreciate our differencesto unite us and not divide us. We are stronger together! Let us work together for the common good of all! —Tom from Pennsylvania

Togetherness

• I love the idea of a huge neighborhood potluck—representing all culinary traditions and backgrounds that represent the great American melting pot! —Meli from Utah
• I hope that we can become more accepting of everyone’s differences and make room for everyone to be safe and accepted. —Chris from New Hampshire

Onward

• The past merely informs our future, which is destined to be great if we can look courageously forward, acknowledging the power that comes from our diversity and differences. —Melanie from Maine
• Happy 250th birthday, America, land that I love. The best is yet to come!! —Michelle from New Jersey

Inspiration

• My wish is for America the Beautiful to forever stand as that shining light on a hill. Honesty plus opportunity plus hard work equals success. Our nation still provides us with everything we need when we try. —Tina  from Idaho
• Thank you, America, for all the glorious songs and sights and sounds. Keep making your music—teach the children, stay strong. —Rocky from New York

Gratitude

• America, thank you for the freedom to live and love in the beautiful land we call home! —Alexis from South Carolina

Patriotism

• For Americans to learn to love this beautiful nation even if you don’t like the guy or gal in charge. For all, whether Democrats or Republicans, to come together as one and be Americans first before we are anything else. —Val from California
• Happy 250th birthday, America! I wish for patriotism to increase among young people.I wish for an end to poverty and homelessness. —Stephanie from Tennessee

Why trust us

At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

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I wish I could tell you that was an isolated incident. But here’s the thing about being a night owl who gets her second wind around 10 p.m. and loves a deep, rambling conversation: I have occasionally been That Guest. More recently, I was chatting late into the night with a friend—she seemed so engaged, nodding along, not saying much—until I heard a soft sound that was unmistakably snoring. I thought she was just a really great listener, but it turns out she had been asleep for who knows how long. I let myself out quietly and have never fully recovered from the shame.

All of which is to say: I have skin in this particular etiquette game. I understand both sides of this dilemma with a depth and specificity that can only come from hard-won (embarrassingly won?) wisdom.

So let’s get into it. Is it really rude to tell your guests it’s time to go?

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The case for kicking them out

I’m going to be blunt: Your home is not a restaurant, and there are no closing hours posted on the door. But that doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be a closing time. Hosts are people too—people with jobs, kids, dogs to walk, medications to take at a reasonable hour and a finite amount of social energy before they start quietly resenting everyone in their living room.

And the data backs this up, especially when it comes to houseguests who are staying overnight. According to a 2025 survey of 2,000 Americans conducted by Talker Research and Avocado Green Mattress, nearly a third of hosts will start dropping hints once they feel a guest has overstayed. And 22% will just come out and say it directly. For overnight guests, the magic number is six days before the average host is ready to see the back of someone’s suitcase. (Though in-laws get only five days. Draw your own conclusions.)

Even the most gracious host has a limit—and there’s nothing rude about knowing where yours is. As etiquette expert Jan Goss once told me: “Better to leave when everyone’s happy than to overstay your welcome and end it on a bad note.” Amen, Jan.

The case for letting it ride

The counterargument is softer, but real. Connection is rare. A good conversation, a hilarious game night and a fantastic dinner are not connections you can manufacture. So when you’re in the middle of one, cutting it off to reclaim your couch can feel like putting a price tag on a moment that should be priceless.

Of course, not all reasons to stay late are created equally. There’s a difference between a Tuesday-night dinner that ran long and a weekend gathering with your closest people who you see only once a year. There’s a difference between your college roommate and your husband’s work colleague who just will not take the hint. And there’s a real question of whether the guest even knows the vibe has shifted—because, as I have personally demonstrated, some of us are absolutely terrible at reading the room. (I’d like to think I’ve gotten better now that I’m a real adult, but when I asked my husband, he cleared his throat and went to check on his plants, so …)

The gray areas

• The deep-conversation trap: This is the one that gets me every time. You’re in the middle of a genuinely meaningful exchange—someone’s talking about something real and vulnerable—and suddenly you’re supposed to announce that it’s time to wrap up because you have a spin class in the morning? It feels cruel. There’s no clean answer here; sometimes connection wins and you sleep in. But a deep conversation is also not a hostage situation, and a good host is allowed to call it.
• Weeknight vs. weekend: On a Saturday night, 1 a.m. is fair game for a lively group of friends. On a Wednesday, it is absolutely acceptable—arguably mandatory—to wrap things up by 10 p.m. Things end even earlier if young children are involved. After all, school nights affect parents as much as kids!
• How close you are: Your college roommate gets more runway than your husband’s co-worker. Your closest friend who’s going through something hard gets more runway than the neighbor who just likes your snacks. Relationship proximity is a real variable. But paradoxically, the closer you are, the easier it also is to just say, “OK, I’m done. I love you. Go home.”
• When the guest is staying with you: This is a whole different category of awkward, and it has a particular subspecies that deserves its own mention: the guest who tells you when they’re arriving but not when they’re leaving. “We’ll see how it goes and how we’re feeling!” is a sentence that sounds breezy and spontaneous but is actually a small act of terrorism. I have a specific set of family members who are notorious for doing this. I will not say which ones. I will say that the open-ended visit is the direct cause of approximately 60% of all passive-aggressive dishwasher-loading in America. (You know you’ve really messed up if the host starts vacuuming.)

Knowing how to be a good houseguest includes knowing when to leave—and the responsibility isn’t entirely on the guest. Hosts who avoid pinning down an end date are setting themselves up for a slow build of resentment that can ruin relationships.

How to ask them to leave

Here’s the part everyone skips over in favor of yawning theatrically and hoping for the best. Let’s talk tactics.

• Start by setting an end time. This is the prequel to asking them to leave, but do it right, and you may not even need these other suggestions. Good party etiquette includes setting expectations before guests arrive, which is the most underrated move a host can make. End times exist. Use them. Actually put them on the invite or in the text.
• Skip the hints. Yawning, starting to clean up, making pointed comments about your early morning—these work on some guests and sail right over others. Unlike the Irish exit, which requires only your own nerve, the hint approach depends entirely on the other person’s self-awareness. That is a variable quantity, as I have personally and repeatedly demonstrated.
• Be warm and direct. “I’ve had such a great time, but I’m officially running out of steam. Can we do this again soon?” is not a rejection. It’s a sentence. It works. You can even make a joke of the delivery—”OK, I love you, but I’m kicking you out. Big day tomorrow”—which signals warmth while still being unambiguous. The goal is to make them feel good about the evening even as you’re showing them the door.
• For overnight guests, set the end date up front. And this needs to happen before they arrive, not the morning they’re supposed to leave. It’s not rude to say: “We’re so excited to have you—we were thinking through the weekend. Does Sunday checkout work?” It’s a gift to everyone involved. And it closes the door on “We’ll see how we’re feeling,” which, I cannot stress enough, is a one-way ticket to crazytown.
• Find the right opening. A natural pause in conversation, the end of a meal, someone getting up to use the bathroom—these are your windows. Don’t try to interrupt the climax of a story. Wait for a beat, then move toward the door yourself. Body language does half the work.

When you actually cross the line into rudeness

The one thing that is genuinely rude is letting your tension build until you’re doing an aggressive cleanup around your guest, loading the dishwasher with thinly veiled anger while they sit obliviously on the couch. I know this because I have witnessed the 2 a.m. consequences of exactly this approach. We had a guest who was staying with us mistake that household chore for a pointed signal, took massive offense and then left in the middle of the night without a word. Seriously, we woke up, and they were just gone.

Even the most thoughtful houseguest etiquette guidance puts the burden on both parties: guests to read the room and hosts to use their words rather than their appliances.

The verdict

No, it is not rude to tell your guests it’s time to go. When done with warmth, it’s actually a gift—to them, because now they know, and to you, because you can finally go to bed. (And because you don’t have to witness them making out practically on your lap. I just about died.)

The real etiquette question isn’t whether you can do it. It’s whether you can do it without making them feel unwanted. And the answer is yes. Be direct. Be warm. Be specific. (“I’m exhausted and I have a big day tomorrow” lands better than a vague, heavy sigh in the direction of the clock). And do it before you’ve mentally drafted a passive-aggressive text to your group chat about it.

If they choose to take it poorly after that and leave your house in a huff—or in the middle of the night—that’s on them.

Have a social situation you can’t stop ruminating on? Email us at advice@tmbi.com, or message Charlotte on Instagram at @CharlotteHiltonAndersen.

Why trust us

Reader’s Digest has published hundreds of etiquette stories that help readers navigate communication in a changing world. We regularly cover topics such as the best messages to send for any occasion, polite habits that aren’t as polite as they seem, email and texting etiquette, business etiquette, tipping etiquette, travel etiquette and more. We’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Source:

• Talker Research: “How long is too long? Hosts say six days is the limit for houseguests”

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We’d all love to unlock the secret to sleeping soundly on planes—those small seats are a far cry from our comfy beds!—and a recent travel hack that’s gone viral on TikTok promises to do exactly that. There’s just one problem: Experts say it’s not safe (plus, it’s also kind of rude). We spoke to a former flight attendant, a sleep expert and a vascular physician to explain why they don’t think this is a tip you should try.

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What’s the viral hack?

@zoreandtomekWrap the seatbelt around your legs ✈️♬ original sound – zoreandtomek

The TikTok hack is fairly simple (for those who can get their legs in this position, of course): Instead of keeping your feet on the floor, you pull your knees up to your chest and rest the bottoms of your feet on the seat. Then, to hold your bent legs in place, you buckle the seat belt (or “feet belt,” as some are calling it) around your ankles instead of across your hips. TikTok creators claim this position is more comfortable and helps them sleep more soundly.

But experts say keeping the legs in this position during a flight is potentially dangerous (among other things), and they discourage travelers from trying it. Let’s get into the reasons why.

Why is this such a bad idea?

Experts cite several reasons why sitting like this is not a good idea. Here’s what you should know about this highly suspect viral hack.

It’s dangerous

“People underestimate how violent unexpected turbulence can be,” says Tyson Sadler, who worked as a flight attendant for Air Canada for 21 years and flew mostly long-haul international flights. “If your legs are strapped up against your chest, you’re not seated in a stable position, and you can get thrown sideways very quickly.”

You’re also making it harder for flight attendants to do their jobs. “In an emergency, flight attendants need passengers upright, properly belted and able to move immediately,” Sadler adds. “Wrapping yourself into the seat belt creates delays and confusion when seconds matter.”

It’s not healthy

Keeping your legs in this position is also not good for circulation and could raise the risk of a dangerous blood clot—especially during long flights when you’re already mostly immobile for hours at a time. “Prolonged air travel already increases the risk of blood clots due to extended sitting, restricted movement, dehydration and cabin-pressure changes,” says Mounir Haurani, MD, chief of the division of vascular surgery at East Carolina University.

Even when we’re seated for the majority of a flight, we still fidget and shift in our seats a little bit, get up to use the restroom and even stretch and reposition our legs. We also move a little while we’re sleeping, Dr. Haurani says. “Following this ‘travel hack’ may make individuals even less likely to move for an extended period of time, potentially further increasing the risk of circulation issues, such as deep vein thrombosis, in which a blood clot forms in the leg,” he explains.

Sitting in a tightly compressed position with the knees at the chest can also strain the joints, muscles and blood vessels, according to Dr. Haurani. “The physiology and physics of how blood gets out of your legs to your heart is complex but relies on pressure changes from breathing, the pumping motion of your leg muscles, your heart pumping and a series of valves,” he says. “Folding your legs and hips at these angles disrupts almost all of these mechanisms.”

It’s just bad manners

Strapping yourself in like this is inconsiderate to other passengers. “Once someone pulls their legs up onto the seat, they usually start spilling into the space beside them,” Sadler says. “On a full flight, that becomes frustrating for everyone around them.”

And really, no one wants to deal with your feet. “Putting shoes on the seat is also something passengers complain about constantly,” Sadler says. “Airplane seats are shared public spaces, and people generally don’t want shoes where they’re sitting or resting their arms.”

What are better ideas for sleeping on a plane?

Fortunately, there are safe, effective ways to sleep on planes that won’t disrupt other passengers, says W. Christopher Winter, MD, a neurologist, sleep specialist and author of two books about sleep. “I travel a ton, and I think having an organized plan is essential,” Dr. Winter says. He carries three essentials to help him sleep on flights: earplugs, an eye mask and a neck pillow. (He likes the NapAnywhere pillow, which folds flat and is super light.)

If he’s not in a seat that reclines, Dr. Winter chooses a window seat. He normally sleeps on his left side, so he tries to pick a seat on the left side of the plane whenever possible so he can mimic his natural sleep position. “A few days before the flight, I look to see if there’s a window seat that has a seat next to it empty,” he says. “Many times, if you do this, you will buy yourself some extra room.”

Sadler echoes Dr. Winter’s ideas. “Passengers who handle long-haul flights best usually keep it simple: neck pillow, eye mask, hydration and comfortable layers,” he says. “Window seats are usually best for sleeping because you’re not being climbed over constantly and can lean against the wall of the aircraft.”

And all of the experts recommend staying adequately hydrated before and during flights—and that doesn’t mean lots of caffeinated drinks or alcohol. “Both will contribute to dehydration and disrupt sleep quality,” Dr. Haurani says. He offers one final tip: Pack light. “Only bring the absolute essentials on board with you,” he says. “The space under your seat is valuable space for letting your calf and thigh muscles flex. On long trips, spending the extra money to check a bag and keep the floor clear could be the difference between blood clots and a safe journey.”

Sources:

• Tyson Sadler, former flight attendant for Air Canada; email interview, May 16, 2026
• Mounir Haurani, MD, MPH, chief of the Division of Vascular Surgery at East Carolina University; email interview, May 18, 2026
• W. Christopher Winter, MD, neurologist, sleep specialist and author of The Sleep Solution; email interview, May 18, 2026
• Popular Science: “The Best Way to Sleep on a Plane, According to Science”
• TikTok: “Airplane seat buckle around feet”

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