This is the way to avoid burnout; new help in extreme heat; tinkering with cortisol; probing pickleball

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

Should you tinker with your cortisol?

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

Slow it down: how to avoid burnout

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

Can pickleball make you healthier?

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

When hot is too hot

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

Can birth control lower injury risk?

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

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