Just One Thing - with Michael Mosley BBC Podcasts

In this episode, Michael reveals why adding regular breaks to your day can benefit your body, your mind and even your productivity. What’s more, if you allow your mind to wander freely during your breaks - no social media! - the benefits are even greater. Michael speaks to cognitive neuroscientist Professor Moshe Bar from Bar-Ilan University in Tel Aviv to find out exactly what goes on in our brains when we allow our minds to wander, and why it could be a good thing for mood, problem solving and creativity.

In this episode, Michael delves into the surprising research on the humble apple, revealing how it can help your heart, gut, and brain. He speaks to Dr Catherine Bondonno from Edith Cowan University in Australia to find out how and why simply eating more apples could reduce risk of dying early by up to 35%! They discuss what apples can do to our gut bacteria and blood vessels to keep them healthy. Meanwhile, our volunteer Lee overcomes sensory challenges, finding different ways of adding apples to his diet.

In this episode, Michael enters the world of creative fiction to discover how simply reading a story for half an hour a day can bring big benefits to your body and brain - from reducing stress and helping stave off depression, to strengthening your social skills and even helping you live longer! With the help of Professor Raymond Mar from York University in Toronto, Canada, Michael discovers why reading for pleasure could have such a significant impact on overall health and longevity, and delves into research revealing the unique benefits of reading narrative fiction.

In this episode, Michael uncovers the secret of mindfulness - how just a short mindful meditation a day can enhance your mood, your immune system and your brain. Our willing volunteer Peter has a go at ten days of daily mindfulness practice, and Dr Sara Lazar from Harvard University expertly guides Michael through the mechanisms by which meditation can train your attention, improve working memory, and even rewire your response to physical pain.

In this episode, Michael speaks to nutritional neuroscientist Dr Simon Dyall from the University of Roehampton to get to the bottom of the many benefits behind oily fish and Omega-3s. He finds out how consuming Omega-3 could affect your mood, your brain and even your walking speed! They discuss the different types of oily fish, other sources of Omega-3 fatty acids, revealing why these fatty acids are so important.

Coffee drinkers rejoice! Did you know that a simple cup of coffee can improve your mood, boost your workout and even stimulate your brown fat, helping you burn calories? In this episode, Michael Mosley finds out all the benefits of our beloved bean - with research suggesting that it could help your brain and heart. What’s more, if you time it right, a simple cup of coffee could help you get more out of your workout and could even change the way you break down fat. Michael speaks to Professor James Betts at the University of Bath to find out how much coffee is the best dose, and what to bear in mind when having a cup.