Confession: I’m not always a joiner. I once took a ceramics lesson with a group of other moms, and the end-of-class photo shows me scowling so hard that a friend turned it into a meme. Yet somehow, Gen Z has me reconsidering group activities. They’ve made birding one of America’s coolest hobbies, and I get the appeal — it offers company without constant interaction. An introvert’s dream.
Turns out, that’s basically the pitch for “parallel play,” an adult friendship trend that fits particularly well into our overbooked lives: Spend time together, do your own thing, skip the pressure to fill every silence. A few ways to try it:
Silent book clubs. No assigned reading, no discussion questions. Join a local chapter or just sit in the library and enjoy loud talkers being shushed.
Craft circles. Bring your knitting, crochet, or that project you abandoned six months ago. The Youth consider it a form of “community-maxxing.”
Passive FaceTimes. If you want to see your friends, but not necessarily stare at each other through screens, take a tip from this communications professor: She recommends you let a video call run in the background while you fold laundry or cook. Still counts as quality time.
— Anna "Will Bird-Watch, Won’t Trust-Fall," Davies, writer
Well, well, well
What's Making the Rounds
Kristen Bell calls her sauna her “after-work drink”… and she’s mastered a surprisingly doable evening routine that keeps her feeling well-rested.
CPAP machine, begone? A new clinical trial found a once-nightly pill could improve sleep apnea; an FDA review may be next.
Endometriosis complications left Dolly Parton unable to have children, but she later credited that experience with helping her find another way to support kids. Her Imagination Library has now gifted millions of books.
The drugstore azelaic acid that was last week's bestseller (and one of our go-tos for minimizing redness).
Keep scrolling...more recs below
well aware
Jaw and Order
Comedian Hannah Berner can joke about her “masseter massacre” now, but it was no laughing matter when injections of Dysport, a neurotoxin that temporarily relaxes facial muscles, left her unable to fully smile or speak clearly. She’d had the treatment for her temporomandibular disorder (TMD) before without issue and said she didn’t know such severe side effects were possible. Here’s another shocker: While Botox and similar injectables have become a popular way to relax overactive jaw muscles, a2024 analysis of 14 randomized trials found they aren't significantly better than placebo at relieving TMD pain.
TMD is an umbrella term for conditions that affect the jaw joints and surrounding muscles, with symptoms like soreness, headaches, stiffness, locking, or even plugged ears. Women are about twice as likely as men to develop it, and researchers aren't sure why, though estrogen could play a role. The reasons may be complicated, but giving your jaw a break doesn’t have to be.
For Your Sanity:
Start simple: Most treatments begin with a warm compress or an ice pack, softer foods during a flare, and a break from habits that overwork your jaw like chewing gum.
Check your sleep setup. A supportive pillow that keeps your head and neck comfortably aligned may help reduce overnight strain.
Be mindful with massage work. Jaw exercises can stretch or strengthen tight muscles, but more pressure isn’t necessarily better. LeAnn Rimes recently made a “deep jaw release” look like an emotional exorcism. Fascinating? Yes. A DIY tutorial? No. Better to talk to your doc.
the more you know
Are You Well Informed?
Which anti-inflammatory ingredient is the main character in pumpkin spice blend?
Bring the outside in with an indoor garden system. There’s nothing that feels more Martha than plucking fresh basil from your counter, but you can also grow larger “crops” in relatively little space. Here’s a roundup of our favorites:
Psst…love our recs? Follow @skimmshopping on Instagram for more products, gifts, and services that are actually worth the hype (and the price tag).
just one thing
Do You Actually Know if You’re Protected Against Measles?
Measles is back, and your childhood vaccine record may deserve a second look. The US has already reported nearly 3,000 cases this year, and while most people who got the recommended MMR or MMRV vaccines are protected for life, there are some notable exceptions. People vaccinated between 1963 and 1967 may have received an older version that didn’t provide lasting protection, while some adults only got the single dose that was standard before 1989. (Two doses are about 97% effective against measles, compared with 93% for one.)
Can’t remember how many shots you got? Check your vaccination records or ask your healthcare provider whether you’re considered up to date, especially if you’re traveling internationally or measles is circulating near you. And if you think you’ve been exposed, don’t just stroll into urgent care: Call ahead to ensure the location has shots on-site. Some pharmacies carry them as well. If you’re not immune, getting the vaccine within 72 hours of exposure can still help prevent or lessen the disease.
Well Fed
Salad Days
Fall may be fast approaching, but farmers market season is still in full swing, and locally-grown produce can be a safer bet than grocery store stuff while cyclospora continues to circulate. Turn that haul into something flavorful enough to eat solo or serve to a crowd, and sneaky enough to fit an absurd amount of fiber, hydration, and gut-health perks into one bowl.
For the fiber-forward crowd: TikTok's "Dense Bean Salad Girl," Violet Witchel, started the trend — and now there are a thousand versions of it. This one from The Kitchn has a citrusy jalapeño-lime dressing that holds up for days (the beans and veggies just get better as they marinate).
For the hydration-obsessed: An entire cucumber gets the the VIP (very important produce) treatment here, sliced into ribbons and tossed in a spicy harissa dressing.
For those who treat gut health like a science experiment: Green goddess salad looks like a dip, but it's secretly a microbiome powerhouse — the cabbage brings fiber for your gut bacteria to feed on, and the garlic adds prebiotic compounds that help the good guys thrive.
No Notes
Have a question, comment, or just want to be friends? Reach out to us at well@theskimm.com
Written by Anna Davies. Edited by Jordan Galloway and Margaret Wheeler Johnson. Fact-checked by Jordan Mamone and Sara Tardiff.
Photos by Getty Images, Brand Partners
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This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute a medical opinion, medical advice, or diagnosis or treatment of any particular condition. Always seek the advice of your physician, mental-health professional, or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Products you buy through our links may earn us a commission.
