What to say when someone cuts in line in front of you

Plus: What the ovary can teach us about aging  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Mandy Oaklander | October 21, 2026     Have you ever stood in line for hours, only to have someone cut right in front of you? My colleague Angela Haupt has, and it’s probably her biggest pet peeve. One of Angela’s specialties is figuring out exactly what to say in uncomfortable situations, so she asked several professors who study this kind of thing for advice. They had plenty (and very little sympathy for line-cutters). Arm yourself with their suggested scripts, which Angela explains later in this edition. TODAY’S TOPICS The ovary’s second act Putting sleepmaxxing to bed What to say to line-cutters Bad behavior is contagious         QUICK CHAT What the ovary can teach us about aging Francesca Duncan, one of TIME’s 2026 Longevity Leaders, is among a handful of pioneering scientists who have uncovered just how important the ovaries are to health and aging. In a study published last week, Duncan and other researchers found that ovaries remain biologically active for decades post-menopause, suggesting the organs could play a more active role in aging and chronic disease than previously believed. I spoke with Duncan, a reproductive biologist at Northwestern University, about how her ovary obsession began and how far her field has come. —Dominique Mosbergen Feinberg School of Medicine What prompted you to study the ovary? I'm an egg biologist. What motivated me to enter the reproductive science space was that I was so fascinated how two single cells—a sperm and an egg—can come together and make a whole new life that's billions of cells.  How did you get into ovarian aging?  As a scientist, it was really important to me to feel like I was doing something beyond just learning, and that I could apply research to improving human health. Egg quality is going to decline in women in their mid-30s pretty much indiscriminately. It doesn't matter your race, ethnicity, where you live, and it’s a phenomenon that's happening in an otherwise chronologically young individual. That is very fascinating to me.  Studying the ovary through the lens of longevity and aging is relatively new. What was the field like when you were first starting out over a decade ago?  Egg aging was really limited to the space of reproductive science. In 2013, I attended a [biology of aging] course for early-career scientists and I remember looking around and being like, my gosh, I am totally the oddball out. When we had to go around the room and say what we worked on, and I said that I studied the ovary, everyone was like, “Oh that's nice, but that's not aging.” That was really the attitude then. Today, the aging research community appreciates that this is an important topic. Read the full story here.         SPONSORED BY MARKETBEAT 7 Stocks to Ride The A.I. Megaboom The next A.I. boom could create massive winners just like the 1990s tech surge. We identified 7 small tech companies positioned to benefit from the next phase of A.I. growth. See them inside this free report 7 Stocks to Ride The A.I. Megaboom. View the 7 Stocks         WORTH THE HYPE? Is “sleepmaxxing” worth it? Photo-Illustration by TIME (Source Image: Giulio Fornasar—Getty Images) Has getting ready for bed become a project? “Sleepmaxxing”—trying to optimize your sleep with elaborate routines, products, and tracking—can backfire, says Ashley Brauer, a psychologist and behavioral sleep medicine specialist. “That effort can create worry and alertness that, ironically, may make sleep harder.” She recommends keeping things simple with a consistent wake time and a cool, dark, quiet bedroom.  The verdict: Prioritize sleep, but skip the quest to perfect it. If you’re consistently struggling, seek help rather than adding another bedtime hack. —A.H. Read the full story here.         SPONSORED BY MANIFEST LAW Explore U.S. Visa Options for Engineers Your engineering record may support more immigration options than you realize. Explore O-1, EB-1, and EB-2 NIW pathways with Manifest Law and get a clearer next step based on your background. Get a Free Assessment Attorney Advertising         TIME TO TALK What to say when someone cuts in line Photo-Illustration by TIME (Source Image: Giulio Fornasar—Getty Images) I’ve spent upwards of 12 hours waiting in line—including in freezing temperatures—to secure a spot at the barricade to see my favorite band perform. So I feel especially qualified to tell you this: Few things ignite instant rage like someone cutting ahead of everyone who showed up early. Here’s what experts told me to say in this frustrating situation. Start with a helpful tone Try: “Excuse me, but the line starts down there.” Even if you’re certain they cut deliberately, acting as though it might have been a mistake gives them a graceful opening to correct it. If they refuse to move Say: “I really think you should go to the back of the line.” Then stop arguing. Ask an employee or security guard to intervene—or let it go if the person seems hostile. Read the full story here.         SPONSORED Is your company shaping the future? TIME100 Most Influential Companies 2027 entries are now open. Every year, TIME asks what it means for a company to be influential. Every year, the answer changes. With expanded recognition opportunities to celebrate influence across industries, impact initiatives, and, for the first time, workplace innovation, there are more ways than ever to stand out. Submit your company.          WHAT WE’RE READING Seeing other people get away with things makes it easier to behave badly, a new study finds. Nicola Davis covers the research for the Guardian.  Could your body clock help explain your depression? Donna Lu at the Guardian reports on a possible new subtype of the condition that may respond to treatments targeting sleep and circadian rhythms.  More indicators show flu season is off to an early start. Walgreens Flu Index, which tracks prescriptions for antivirals, testing, and over-the-counter flu remedy purchases, shows the season is about four weeks ahead of previous ones, especially in the western part of the U.S. and Florida.       More Newsletters from Click to sign up. THE BRIEF +FUTURE PROOF +INSIDE TIME +IN THE LOOP +WORTH YOUR TIME + Subscribe to TIME Email us: healthmatters@time.com Received this from a friend? Sign up here Connect with TIME PRIVACY POLICY   © 2026 TIME USA, LLC. All rights reserved. TIME Customer Service, P.O. Box 37508 Boone, IA 50037-0508, United States Unsubscribe

What chair yoga can do for your body

Plus: How to treat burning mouth syndrome  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Mandy Oaklander | October 20, 2026     I used to have a weird misconception about working out: that it had to feel fairly brutal to be worthwhile. The more exhausted your body felt by the end of it, I thought, the better it was for you. That kind of attitude sometimes led me to skip out on walks, deep breathing practices, and other gentle approaches that support health. I'm glad I know better now. Even mild workouts can do a lot for your health. And they feel nice! I asked TIME contributor Jennifer Heimlich to look into one gentle exercise: chair yoga, an accessible form of the mind-body practice you can do your whole life long. What can you get out of it? Quite a bit, Jennifer found out. Read on to find out why you shouldn’t underestimate chair yoga. TODAY’S TOPICS Treating burning mouth syndrome A predicted surge in hepatitis B The quote that stuck Don’t underestimate chair yoga The warning signs of negative drug interactions         PLEASE ADVISE Here’s a great question we received from a reader: I have burning mouth syndrome, and eliminating citrus, tomatoes, and high-histamine foods hasn’t helped. What else can I do to relieve the constant discomfort? Dmytro Bosnak—Getty Images If you’ve given those dietary changes a fair try and they haven’t helped, you don’t need to keep making the list of forbidden foods longer. Burning mouth syndrome can feel like you’ve scalded your tongue or another part of your mouth, even when everything looks normal. Dr. Marcela Romero-Reyes, who directs the Brotman Facial Pain Clinic at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry, suggests asking a different question: What was ruled out before you were diagnosed? Dry mouth, thrush, certain medications, nutritional deficiencies, and other conditions can also make your mouth burn. If one is responsible, treating it may help. Ask your dentist or doctor to review what’s already been checked and whether you need an oral exam, medication review, or blood tests. It’s also worth discussing which foods you can add back. If that evaluation finds no underlying cause, ask for a referral to an oral medicine or orofacial pain specialist. Romero-Reyes says treatments for primary burning mouth syndrome include prescription medications that act on pain signaling, as well as approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy. Finding relief may take some trial and error, but another round of food restrictions doesn’t necessarily have to be your next move. –Angela Haupt Got a health question of your own? Send it our way to healthmatters@time.com, and we might tackle it in a future edition.         SPONSORED BY ANGELINOS COFFEE Your K-Cups Sat in a Warehouse for Months Grocery store pods spend months going factory → warehouse → truck → shelf, losing the flavor oils that make coffee taste like coffee. Angelino's roasts, packs, and ships within days — 50+ flavors, compatible with Keurig®, from 39¢ a cup. New customers save 15%, no code needed. Try Fresh-Roasted Pods         BIG NUMBER 225% That’s how much chronic hepatitis B infections increased in a simulation of the effects of the CDC’s updated vaccine recommendations, according to a new study I wrote about for TIME.  The study modeled the infection status of 3.6 million people born in a single year in the U.S. over the first 20 years of their lives. Researchers estimated that delaying the first hepatitis B vaccine babies receive—and relying on shared decision-making instead—resulted in a sharp rise of the incurable illness. —Veronique Greenwood Read the full story here. SOURCE: Annals of Internal Medicine         SPONSORED BY THE DEEP VIEW Become An AI Expert In Just 5 Minutes If you’re a decision maker at your company, you need to be on the bleeding edge of, well, everything. But before you go signing up for seminars, conferences, lunch ‘n learns, and all that jazz, just know there’s a far better (and simpler) way: Subscribing to The Deep View. This daily newsletter condenses everything you need to know about the latest and greatest AI developments into a 5-minute read. Squeeze it into your morning coffee break and before you know it, you’ll be an expert too. Subscribe right here. It’s totally free, wildly informative, and trusted by 600,000+ readers at Google, Meta, Microsoft, and beyond.         THE QUOTE THAT STUCK ❝   “It is not our job to become the feelings detective.   Melissa Gluck When someone insists they’re fine but keeps making little digs at you, it’s easy to start examining every word for clues. In an interview, psychologist Melissa Gluck said that you can ask a friend what’s wrong without taking on the job of figuring it out for them. —A.H. Read the full story here.         A GOOD READ Chair yoga can give anyone a workout At first glance, chair yoga might seem like a workout just for older adults with mobility issues. The gentle, accessible workout offers a modified take on the ancient movement and meditation practice, usually from a seated position. No one’s asked to climb down onto the floor or independently hold themselves upright in tricky standing postures—which makes it ideal for those with limited strength or balance.    But experts say chair yoga shouldn’t be pigeonholed, because anyone can benefit. “It is a practice that meets you where you are,” says Divya Balakrishnan, a yoga instructor in New York City. “You’re still using your strength and flexibility, just in other ways.” —Jennifer Heimlich Read the full story here.         SPONSORED Is your company shaping the future? TIME100 Most Influential Companies 2027 entries are now open. Every year, TIME asks what it means for a company to be influential. Every year, the answer changes. With expanded recognition opportunities to celebrate influence across industries, impact initiatives, and, for the first time, workplace innovation, there are more ways than ever to stand out. Submit your company.          WHAT WE’RE READING A puppy who nearly died from tetanus made an extraordinary recovery and became a guide dog. The Guardian shares Orlando's remarkable story. More than 4,000 cases of measles have been reported in the U.S. this year, but guidance from federal health leaders has been lacking, The Hill reports.  Could your medications be doing more harm than good? KFF Health News explains how to recognize potential drug interactions. All three major fall viruses—flu, RSV, and COVID—are starting to stir across the U.S., Katelyn Jetelina of Your Local Epidemiologist writes.       More Newsletters from Click to sign up. THE BRIEF +FUTURE PROOF +INSIDE TIME +IN THE LOOP +WORTH YOUR TIME + Subscribe to TIME Email us: healthmatters@time.com Received this from a friend? Sign up here Connect with TIME PRIVACY POLICY   © 2026 TIME USA, LLC. All rights reserved. TIME Customer Service, P.O. Box 37508 Boone, IA 50037-0508, United States Unsubscribe