Sanam Yar
Writer on Bustle's Lifestyle team, embarrassingly Canadian, and constantly on the hunt for the perfect pint of ice-cream. You can catch more of my work in Metropolis Magazine and The New York Times.

A New Study Shows How Much Emotional Energy Minority Students Use To Deal With Stereotypes

The pressure to perform well, whether in school or at a new job, is a feeling that most people are familiar with. For some people, though, those feelings are magnified by reasons beyond their control, such as the racial or ethnic group that they…
By Sanam Yar

Being In Nature For Even 5 Minutes Can Have These Effects On Your Brain, According To Science

Be honest with yourself: Can you remember the last time you truly hung out in nature, reveling in all its tree-dotted glory? Scientific research has long documented how spending time in the great outdoors (and not just as a means to travel from…
By Sanam Yar

A New Study Shows How Substance Use Impacts Sexual Minorities — And It Needs More Attention

While LGBTQ representation has been reaching new heights in the past few years, from fictional TV characters to IRL politicians, the United States has yet to achieve true equality for people in the LGBTQ community. Scientists have long been…
By Sanam Yar

Claire Foy Says She Had Juvenile Arthritis Growing Up — Here’s What To Know

Claire Foy did not have it easy while growing up. While middle school and high school can be a difficult and alienating time for everyone, Foy recalled her own personal challenges while attending school in a recently published interview withWSJ.…
By Sanam Yar

America Is Currently Enjoying A “Cheese Surplus,” Which Is Exactly What You Think It Is

Great (grate?) news for cheese-lovers across the country: the U.S. will likely not be running out of the beloved dairy product for a long, long time. Average cheese consumption in the U.S. has climbed over the decades and is currently at an all-time…
By Sanam Yar

This Sleep-Inducing Cannabis Compound Is Going To Be The Next CBD, According to Experts

The quest for a good night’s sleep feels, in many ways, eternally relevant. While getting better sleep is one of the top health and wellness trends for 2019, troubled sleepers are not a new phenomenon. An estimated 50 to 70 million U.S. adults have…
By Sanam Yar

A Woman Died Of Rabies After Doctors Thought She’d Had A Panic Attack

A Virginia woman bitten by a dog while on a yoga retreat in India was confirmed to have contracted rabies that led to her death in 2017, according to a new report from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The 65-year-old woman’s…
By Sanam Yar

If You’re Trying To Sleep, Here’s The Difference Between Taking CBD & Melatonin

Over the last year, sleep became a bit of a national obsession, with the trend showing no signs of slowing down in 2019. Time and time again, experts emphasize the importance of routinely getting a good night’s rest, and considering that one third…
By Sanam Yar

What You Should Know About Working Out In The Cold Before You Put Your Layers On

For people who love to exercise in the great outdoors, the onset of winter provides a chilly conundrum: Is working out in cold weather bad for you, good for you, or somewhere in the middle? Maybe you’ve just gotten into a regular running routine,…
By Sanam Yar

5 Quotes About Anxiety To Remember When Times Get Tough

Not a day goes by that we aren't bombarded with information on how to make our lives better, and that goes double for how you deal with stress and anxiety. But if you have your routine down pat already, it doesn't hurt to add new ideas to the…
By Sanam Yar

7 Micro-Goals You Can Set To Help You Achieve Big Things In 2019

In case you forgot, the new year is less than a week away, meaning it’s time to reflect on 2018 and bid the past 12 months adieu (much to the relief of many). With 2019 comes the promise of a fresh start, and whether you’ve set your sights on lofty…
By Sanam Yar

8 Sleep Podcasts To Listen To When It’s 2 AM & You’re Still Wired AF

If you spend more of your nights tossing and turning than you do actually, well, sleeping, it might be time to consider a sleep aid. And if you love podcasts to help make your morning commute pass by faster, consider sleep podcasts, which are…
By Sanam Yar

The Holidays Mean Lots Of Family Time — Here’s How To Destress If You’re Not Used To It

The holidays are a time of year that can be simultaneously wonderful and terrifying, depending on your family situation. On one hand, the time off gives you the gift of togetherness with relatives that you likely haven’t seen in a while, but on the…
By Sanam Yar

What To Do During The Holidays If You’re Not Religious But Your Family Is

While getting the chance to spend downtime with family is a bright spot throughout the holidays for many people, that extra time with relatives can feel like an ominous task for others. You may be able to avoid tense or awkward conversations…
By Sanam Yar

What To Know About Going To Your Office Holiday Party If You’re Not Drinking

Holiday party season is upon us: Work parties, intimate gatherings with friends, family reunions — there’s no shortage of soirées to bombard your social calendar in the next few weeks. And while any excuse to dress up and eat hors d'oeuvres is…
By Sanam Yar

Climate Change Is Killing Arctic Reindeer, A New Report Says

Wild reindeer in the Arctic may soon be reduced to the stuff of children’s tales, according to a new report evaluating the impact of climate change in the area. Over the last twenty years, herd populations of wild reindeer and caribou in the Arctic…
By Sanam Yar

The One Strategy To Try If You Have Anxiety Around The Holidays, According To Experts

The holidays bring with them a flurry of emotions — excitement at the prospect of giving and receiving gifts, joy from seeing family members, and anticipation at getting some much-needed time off work. But on the flip side, the holidays can also be…
By Sanam Yar

The Weird, Science-y Reason You’re Fine With Waiting In Line For Brunch

It’s 11:30 AM on a Sunday and you’re at that new brunch place you’ve been meaning to try, where you’ve just been informed that the wait will be at least an hour and a half long. Should you stay, or should you go? Based on new research from Johns…
By Sanam Yar

You’re Going To See These 7 Wellness Trends Everywhere In 2019 (Hint: Sleep Is A Big One)

As anyone with a pulse will likely affirm, 2018 was a long, long year with zero shortage of things to discuss, from politics to pop culture. With the year winding down, all of the “best of” lists and yearly recaps are trickling out — your annual…
By Sanam Yar

What To Know About Navigating The Holidays When You Don’t Drink

The holiday season brings with it a lot of joy and excitement, but this time of year can also be especially tough if you don't drink. With the onslaught of holiday parties, office happy hours, and family events, on top of the general stress of the…
By Sanam Yar