Wellness Wednesday Issue #114

📈 Tech jobs are making a comeback—here’s where to look.

🥑 Ditch diet culture with this intuitive eating guide.

🗣️ Public speaking is easier with these Harvard-backed tips.

🛍️ Thrifting pros swear by this game-changing trick.

The countdown is on—we’re about a month away from Tax Day. If you haven’t tackled your taxes yet, don’t panic. There’s still time to get everything in order, maximize deductions, and avoid last-minute stress. Whether you’re filing solo, working with a tax pro, or somewhere in between, this checklist will help you stay on track and avoid costly mistakes.

1. Gather All Your Tax Documents

Before you even think about filing, make sure you have every document you need. Missing paperwork can delay your return—or worse, trigger IRS issues down the road. Here’s a quick rundown of the essentials:

• Income Documents
  • W-2s (if you’re an employee)
  • 1099-NEC, 1099-K (if you’re a freelancer, contractor, or side hustler)
  • 1099-DIV, 1099-INT (investment income, dividends, interest)
  • 1099-G (unemployment benefits)
  • K-1s (if you’re part of a partnership, LLC, or S-corp)
• Deductions & Credits
  • Mortgage interest (1098 form)
  • Property taxes
  • Charitable donation receipts
  • Student loan interest (1098-E)
  • Tuition statements (1098-T)
  • Childcare expenses (for the Child and Dependent Care Credit)
  • Medical expenses (if they exceed 7.5% of your income)
• Retirement & Investment Contributions
  • IRA contributions (Traditional or Roth)
  • 401(k) contributions (Check if you maxed it out last year!)
  • HSA/FSA contributions (you may still be able to contribute to an HSA for 2024 before the deadline)

If you’re missing anything, log into your bank, employer, or brokerage account ASAP to download the necessary documents.

Managing payroll can be a nightmare for busy professionals. From compliance headaches to ensuring timely payments, the process is filled with challenges that can take up precious time. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with the best payroll tools to streamline your process and keep your business running smoothly.

❌ Challenge #1: Navigating complex tax laws and regulations.

Paychex simplifies payroll by offering automated tax filing and compliance tools.

✨ Standout Feature: Their robust HR solutions, including benefits administration and retirement planning, are perfect for scaling businesses.

❌ Challenge #2: Managing global payroll across multiple countries.

Velocity Global specializes in international payroll, ensuring compliance with each country’s laws.

✨ Standout Feature: They offer a fully integrated global employment platform, allowing you to onboard, pay, and manage employees worldwide without hassle.

❌ Challenge #3: Understanding and implementing remote worker payroll in different locations.

Multiplier helps businesses manage payroll for remote teams across various countries.

✨ Standout Feature: Their platform makes it easy to comply with local tax regulations and provides transparency into your team’s payroll costs.

❌ Challenge #4: Handling payroll along with HR and IT tasks.

Rippling allows you to automate everything from payroll to benefits and even device management.

✨ Standout Feature: It’s an all-in-one solution that connects payroll, benefits, and employee data effortlessly, saving you time on administrative tasks.

❌ Challenge #5: Ensuring accuracy and reducing payroll errors.

OnPay simplifies the process with user-friendly software and an intuitive interface.

✨ Standout Feature: Their affordable pricing structure and full-service payroll, including tax filing and reporting, makes them ideal for small businesses.

Take the first step towards smoother operations by choosing the right tool for your business.

As someone who has gone down the holistic, “let’s optimize everything” health journey, I’ve experimented with all kinds of sleep hacks. If it’s trending on TikTok, I’ve probably tried it. My goal? Better sleep, more energy, and waking up feeling like a well-rested queen—not a zombie.

But let’s be real: some sleep hacks are meh, some are just expensive gimmicks, and some actually work. So, here’s the rundown—what’s worth trying, what’s overhyped, and what gets my gold-star approval.

Supplements

Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone your body naturally produces to regulate sleep-wake cycles. It’s commonly taken as a supplement to help with falling asleep faster.

• Claims to: Be useful for resetting a disrupted sleep schedule, especially for those with jet lag or irregular sleep patterns.
• What I think: I’ve found that a low dose (1.5-3mg) works well for me, but I try not to use it often because research is mixed. Some say it messes with your body’s natural melatonin production. As an ADHD-medicated girly, my sleep is often a mess, so I take it maybe twice a week when needed.
• Grade: B-

GABA

GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid) is a neurotransmitter that helps calm the nervous system and reduce stress.

• Claims to: Promote relaxation and deeper sleep by reducing overactive brain activity.
• What I think: Love this. Anytime I take a sleep supplement with GABA, I notice I sleep deeper and wake up without grogginess. It’s my go-to over melatonin.
• Grade: A

Herbs (Valerian Root, Lavender, Chamomile)

These are natural herbs commonly found in sleep teas and supplements, used for centuries to promote relaxation.

• Claims to: Help with relaxation and anxiety reduction before bed.
• What I think: They work, but only when combined with other sleep aids. A tea with valerian root alone won’t knock me out, but paired with melatonin or GABA? Much better results.
• Grade: B

Magnesium (Citrate, Glycinate, Malate)

Magnesium is an essential mineral that supports muscle relaxation, stress reduction, and overall sleep quality.

• Claims to: Calm the nervous system, ease muscle tension, and regulate melatonin production.
• What I think: Absolute game-changer. Not only does this magnesium help me relax before bed, but it also supports digestion. I take it 3-4 times a week, and it’s an A+ for me.
• Grade: A+

Tech & Gadgets

Red Light Therapy

Red light therapy involves exposure to low-wavelength red light, which is believed to support sleep and circadian rhythm.

• Claims to: Improve melatonin production and sleep quality by reducing blue light exposure.
• What I think: It’s more of a vibe than a necessity. It’s relaxing, and I like using it, but I don’t think it’s a game-changer for my sleep.
• Grade: C+

Mouth Tape

Mouth tape is used to encourage nasal breathing during sleep by preventing mouth breathing.

• Claims to: Improve oxygen intake, reduce snoring, and support better sleep quality.
• What I think: Logically, this makes sense. But in reality? Eh. It’s uncomfortable, I fidget all night, and I realized I oddly enjoy licking my lips before/during bed (lol).
• Grade: D

White Noise / Pink Noise

White noise and pink noise are background sounds that create a consistent audio environment, blocking out disruptions.

• Claims to: Help light sleepers by reducing sudden noises that could interrupt sleep.
• What I think: Obsessed. I love white noise, pink noise—all the noise colors. It really helps quiet my brain, especially when I’m stressed or sleeping somewhere new.
• Grade: A

Sleep Apps

Sleep apps offer guided meditations, sleep sounds, bedtime stories, and breathing exercises to aid sleep.

• Claims to: Help create a structured wind-down routine and calm the mind before bed.
• What I think: Sleepiest is my fave! It has adult bedtime stories, soundscapes, breathwork, and hypnosis options. I pay for the premium version and 100% think it’s worth it. There’s plenty of sleep apps out there, so trial a few and pick what works for you.
• Grade: A-

Trendy Sleep Hacks

4-7-8 Breathwork

This breathing technique involves inhaling for 4 seconds, holding for 7, and exhaling for 8.

• Claims to: Calm the nervous system, lower heart rate, and reduce stress, making it easier to fall asleep.
• What I think: This actually works. If I can’t sleep, I do this, and before I know it—I’m OUT.
• Grade: A+

Sleepy Girl Mocktail (Tart Cherry Juice + Magnesium + Sparkling Water)

A viral bedtime drink combining melatonin-rich tart cherry juice, magnesium, and carbonated water.

• Claims to: Naturally promote sleep by combining melatonin from tart cherry juice with relaxing magnesium.
• What I think: Cute, but not game-changing. I like the ritual of making it, but doing it every night feels like a chore and I didn’t notice anything life-changer other than the art of making it triggering me to think “oh bedtime!”
• Grade: C-

Castor Oil Packs

Castor oil packs, have gotten popular on TikTok, and involve soaking a cloth in castor oil and placing it over the liver or abdomen, often worn overnight.

• Claims to: Aid detoxification, reduce inflammation, and promote relaxation, which some believe contributes to better sleep.
• What I think: I do feel detoxed after using it, but sleeping with an oil pack is uncomfortable. I fidget too much and worry about staining my sheets.
• Grade: C

Some sleep hacks are genuinely effective, while others feel more like trendy experiments. What works best will depend on your body, lifestyle, and sleep challenges.

If you’re looking for simple, science-backed strategies, magnesium, GABA, 4-7-8 breathwork, and white noise are great places to start. These have consistently helped me improve my sleep quality without requiring a big routine shift.

At the end of the day, sleep is personal. Finding what works for you may take some trial and error, and that’s okay. The key is to create a bedtime routine that feels sustainable and supports your overall well-being.

Thania (TA Content Mgr)

You eat well, exercise daily, and strive for quality sleep. But what about your skin’s health? Most products focus on short-term fixes, but the real key to aging well is helping your skin behave like it did when it was younger.

With OneSkin, you can target aging at the source.

Their line of moisturizers and sunscreens are powered by the OS-01 peptide, the first ingredient to address cellular senescence—a root cause of wrinkles, loss of elasticity, and thinning skin.

Add OneSkin to your routine. It’s a simple step that helps your skin stay younger and healthier, starting at the cellular level. Save 15% with code THEASSIST.

Discover the science behind OS-01.

DISCLAIMERS: Zonari, A., et al. npj Aging, 2023

👀 Looking for a job? Let The Search guide you. Get insider tips, hiring trends, and job search scripts—with a side of humor to keep you sane.

🫧 A laundry basket that disappears when you don’t need it.

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