There are a plethora of benefits associated with walking, so it’s no wonder the NHS previously called the activity “overlooked” as a form of exercise.

As little as 2,337 steps a day can lower your risk of dying from heart-related health conditions. The activity can also help to manage blood pressure and cholesterol, and has been linked to stronger bones, better sleep quality and even a reduction in dementia risk.

But while we know it’s important for our health, less is said about how it can benefit our relationships, too.

In fact, a new study suggests that couples who exercise together – mostly, through walking – report better communication, stronger conflict resolution and lower levels of marital stress than couples who don’t.

For the study, published in Family Relations, researchers from Brigham Young University (BYU) looked at survey data from nearly 1,700 newly-married couples.

The team compared the effects of individual workouts and physical activity performed together as a couple on three outcomes: communication, conflict resolution and marital stress.

Walking was the most commonly reported form of shared exercise among couples in the study.

Both individual workouts and couple workouts were associated with healthier marriages, but exercising together consistently showed stronger associations with positive relationship outcomes than exercising solo.

“About 60% of husbands and wives in the sample said they exercised, but only about a third exercised together,” said BYU professor Jeremy Yorgason.

“That means about half the people who exercise are not exercising with their spouse. While the impact is not necessarily large, it is very consistent, which gives me confidence that it is influencing relationships in some meaningful way.”

Researchers said exercising together creates opportunities for positive interactions and conversation, which can strengthen relationships over time.

“Out of all three outcomes, exercise had the biggest impact on communication,” said study co-author Ashlyn Hiatt Mildenhall, who began the project as an undergraduate researcher.

“That’s why it was interesting that walking was the number one reported exercise. It naturally provides opportunities to communicate.”

Walking can give you the space to have deep and meaningful chats, free from distraction.

The research also found that couples who exercised together reported better listening and greater feelings of being heard and supported by their spouse.

Prof Yorgason said these interactions may help explain why shared exercise was associated with healthier communication and conflict resolution.

The authors did warn that shared exercise isn’t a cure for relationship challenges, but it can create regular opportunities for connection amid the demands of school, life and parenting.

In the last couple of years, Tina Fey’s heartwarming comedy The Four Seasons has become one of Netflix’s most popular new original series.

The show recently premiered its second run of episodes, once again centring on a year in the lives of a tight-knit group of devoted friends.

Netflix has already confirmed that the series – which stars Tina alongside the likes of Will Forte, Kerri Kenney-Silver and Oscar nominee Colman Domingo – has already been renewed for a third season, in which new addition David Tennant is expected to be boosted to the main cast.

Fans are in for a bit of a wait until then, though, with seasons one and two debuting in May 2025 and May 2026, respectively.

However, there’s been an addition to Netflix this week that could well help tide viewers over.

What you might not realise is that The Four Seasons is actually a reworking of a popular film from the early 1980s, directed and written by Alan Alda, who also stars as its lead.

Earlier this week, the film The Four Seasons began streaming on Netflix UK, offering many viewers the chance to check out the source material that inspired Tina’s Emmy-nominated series.

Co-creator Lang Fisher previously told Netflix that when she and Tina first began collaborating, the 30 Rock star “kept saying, ‘I want it to be like The Four Seasons’”.

“Finally we were like, ’Should we just watch The Four Seasons?’ We did, and then we were like, ‘Oh, we should just do that movie’,” she recalled.

In fact, Alan even had a small cameo in season one, sharing the screen with Tina and Colman.

Tina enthused at the time: “He’s fantastic. His timing is as incredible as it ever was. He looks so handsome.”

“Over the years I’ve been lucky enough to be able to tell Alan Alda in person how much I love the movie, and also [his Four Seasons co-star] Carol Burnett,” she added. “They both were kind of like, ‘That’s weird because you were 10. This movie wasn’t really intended for you.’

“Alan Alda was very generous in giving us his blessing early on to develop this. I think he was excited that it was coming back to life. It was obviously a project that was near and dear to him.”

This article contains major spoilers for the latest episode of House Of The Dragon.

House Of The Dragon actor James Norton has weighed in on how things played out for his character in the season three finale.

James joined the cast of the Game Of Thrones prequel as Lord Ormund Hightower in its third outing, with the character meeting his end as season three drew to a close, being first stabbed in the bum (ouchie) and then burned to a crisp by a dragon (double ouchie) during an epic battle sequence.

Speaking to Variety in an interview published after the finale aired, James insisted that it was a “lot of fun” to shoot his character’s “big, delicious death”.

“Before I read the script, there was a lot of chatter around how it was going to happen,” he claimed.I” knew it was going to be very different from the books. It happens a lot with this show where they push it to the extreme. When they realise where the boundary is, they pull it back a bit.

“So there was originally a version where Ormund gets impaled like 20 times, and then we’re like, ‘That’s probably a little too much!’.”

James praised the “odd intimacy” in Ormund and Roddy the Ruin dying together and being “preserved”, comparing their fate to “the graves when you find these couples intertwined”.

“These incongruous people end up dying in the same dragon fire and looking the same way in a strangely intimate sort of pose,” he said.

He also admitted it was “bittersweet” to be saying goodbye to House Of The Dragon after having such a “really lovely time” shooting his character’s arc, and praised the fantastic work of his colleagues across all departments.

He also claimed: “In a way, Ormund wouldn’t have been so delicious were he to have survived. I don’t think the show would have allowed me to be as brave and courageous and given me such license to be as playful because that type of character can tire, probably. There’s less places for him to go.

“It was inevitable, I imagine. The way his character was developed and allowed to be big and breathe, taking risks only happened because they knew he was not going to survive. So it was a blessing and a curse. It’ll be weird when they go back to shoot the next season and I won’t be there. But I’m so grateful that I got to come in and have this big showy moment and ludicrous memorable death…”

Besides Ormund, Phia Saban’s Helaena Targaryen also met her end in the latest House Of The Dragon finale, describing her character’s demise as an “honour”.

House Of The Dragon’s fourth and final season is likely to premiere in 2028. Before then, there’s plenty more to look forward to from the Game Of Thrones universe.

Nigel Farage has slapped down Zia Yusuf after he described a former Tory cabinet minister who served in the Army “a traitor to Britain”.

The Reform UK leader said his home affairs spokesman’s comments about Ben Wallace were “over the top”.

Farage told The Sun: “That is too strong a language. I shall give him a ticking off, don’t worry.

“I’ll speak to him today, but it’s over the top.”

His comments come after a senior Reform figure said Yusuf’s remarks were “inappropriate and counter-productive”.

Tim Montgomerie – a leading political commentator who quit the Tories to join Reform – said Yusuf’s language “isn’t acceptable”.

Yusuf hit out at Ben Wallace after he criticised Reform’s plan to fix the shortage of prison spaces by sending foreign criminals abroad.

Writing on X, he said: “Incredible that this moron was defence secretary.

“Our policy today is in direct response to your government’s failures.

“If their home countries won’t take back, their citizens that are languishing in our jails, we are renting spaces in countries like El Salvador to put them.

“They will serve their full jail terms there, and will be banned from ever coming back to Britain.

“They may well include some of the thousands of Afghans you imported, including those who had not been vetted properly and including Taliban fighters (!).

“You know, the ones you took a super injunction out to keep secret from the British people? That’s why I call you a traitor to Britain. You fit the dictionary definition.”

Yusuf’s tweet remains up on his X feed, as does a poll in which he asks if Wallace should be “prosecuted for treason”.

The row once again highlights the tensions at the top of Reform, which has seen its poll lead over Labour disappear in recent weeks.

Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

Jason Isaacs has shared his take on the controversy surrounding the source material for his film The Salt Path.

Last year, the White Lotus star shared the screen with Gillian Anderson in the big-screen adaptation of Raynor Winn’s book of the same name.

However, months after its release, The Salt Path faced scrutiny in the media after The Observer published a piece casting doubt on some of the claims in the book, which had been marketed as a memoir.

Last week, Jason was a guest on the podcast Kermode On Film, where he was asked about the movie’s impending US release.

“It’s going to be interesting doing publicity for The Salt Path now that there’s been [renewed scrutiny],” the always-candid British actor claimed.

He went as far as questioning whether the team behind the film’s US release actually wanted him to do any promotion for it, to which they responded: “Absolutely.”

“I went, ‘OK, yeah, fine’,” he claimed, maintaining that The Salt Path is a “beautiful film” and that “much of it is still completely valid”.

“Obviously, some of the things have been questioned,” he added, conceding that promoting it will no doubt be an “interesting experience”.

Just days later, Gillian also spoke about the Salt Path backlash for the first time, calling the debacle “very unfortunate”.

“The film was doing really well in the UK – beyond my expectations,” she told Radio Times. “I think we were about to sign with Sony Classics for the United States the week when the article came out, so it sucked, and continues to suck.”

Like Jason, she claimed that the film is “special in its own right”, insisting: “I hope people are able to experience it as its own entity, separate from what may or may not be true or whatever controversy there is.”

In Raynor Winn’s first Salt Path book, she claimed that she and her husband Moth had walked the 600-mile length of the South West Coast Path after being made homeless.

She also discussed Moth’s struggles with the neurodegenerative disease corticobasal degeneration (CBD), which he was diagnosed with shortly before the couple lost their home, in her writing.

However, The Observer’s piece raised questions about a number of parts in the book, including exactly what led to the couple being made homeless, and specific parts of Moth’s illness.

At the time, the writer’s legal team provided a statement to The Observer, which read: “The Salt Path lays bare the physical and spiritual journey Moth and I shared, an experience that transformed us completely and altered the course of our lives. This is the true story of our journey.”

The Telegraph also published a longer version of this statement, which added: “[The] Observer article is highly misleading. We are taking legal advice and won’t be making any further comment at this time.”

Whenever you think of vibrators, we’ll hazard a guess that you picture a clit vibrator.

While the sex toy market has, admittedly, for the most part been tailored towards women, there are plenty of exciting sex toys for men and people with penises out there, too.

The most common of them all is the male masturbator. No prizes for having heard of Fleshlights – perhaps the most popular in the category – but there are also tons that rotate, thrust, vibrate, and app-controlled.

Keep reading for our round-up of the best, as well as everything you need to know about male masturbators.

Best male masturbators at a glance:

If you’re wondering what the fuck we’re on about – you have two hands, after all – allow us to explain.

“A male masturbator is a sex toy designed to stimulate the penis during solo or partnered play,” according to April Maria, sex and relationships coach and Resident expert at Sex tech brand Hot Octopuss.

Just like clit vibrators, penis masturbators don’t come in one form. In fact, there are a ton of different types.

“While many people think of them as simple sleeves, there is actually a wide variety available to suit different preferences,” Maria explains.

“Some have an inner textured sleeve, some have motorised thrusting features, and others can be used flaccid or erect and even hands-free. Some masturbators even offer oscillations or suction-like sensations, and some even mimic specific anatomical forms.”

Now that we’ve got that sorted, HuffPost has rounded up the very best male masturbators, strokers, and blowjob machines on the market. Ready, set, go!

If you’re still stumped by that list (ahem) we’ve asked Maria to suggest what features to look out for when shopping:

• Texture: “Different toys offer very different sensations, so it’s helpful to think about whether you enjoy gentle stimulation, vibration, or a more intense stroking motion,” Maria suggests. “Do you want something soft, ribbed or even beaded?”

• Features: “If you wanted to take it up a notch, some toys offer advanced features like thrusting elements, suction options and even vibrations or warming functions.

• Maintenance: “Beyond the experience and feel, it’s also important to choose a toy made from body-safe materials to ensure safety and longevity. You also need to consider that some toys will need extra care, cleaning and maintenance after use.”

While we’d like to say you can simply slip your schlong in a hole and call it a day, it’s not always that simple. Here are Maria’s top tips for using a male masturbator:

“It is one of the simplest ways to make a male masturbator feel more comfortable and pleasurable. Make sure to apply it to both the toy and your penis.”

“Take your time and experiment with different speeds, pressures and movements to help you discover new ways to experience pleasure instead of relying on the same technique every time,” Maria recommends.

“Make sure to maintain your toy after every use,” she adds. “This includes thoroughly cleaning it, drying it, and storing it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Some toys can be pricey, so proper care helps maintain both hygiene and the product’s lifespan.” Amen to that.

We get it, buying a sex toy is a serious venture. To make double double sure you’re making the right purchase, we’ve answered your burning questions.

“Absolutely, although they’re often marketed for solo pleasure, male masturbators can be a great addition to partnered sex,” Maria explains.

“Couples can incorporate them into foreplay, oral sex or mutual masturbation.

How you clean a male masturbator depends on the model. If it has a removable sleeve, you’ll want to take that out and flip it inside out, before washing it out with soap and water or sex toy cleaner.

If it doesn’t have a removable sleeve, you’ll need to make sure you thoroughly clean the inner and outer portion of the toy with hot water and soap or sex toy cleaner.

You’ll also want to make sure you towel dry your toy and store it away from dust and light, and in a storage pouch if you’re storing it with other toys.

Some masturbators, like Fleshlights, require maintenance with a powder, so make sure you read the instructions to make your toy last as long as possible.

Have you ever set your alarm early to catch a flight or head to a work event, and been overwhelmed by a sicky feeling? If so, you’re certainly not alone.

People have taken to Reddit’s r/NightOwls forum to try and understand the phenomenon. One person explained how they’d wake up at 7am to shower and get ready and “feel like throwing up”.

“This has been happening for basically my entire life. Up until today it stopped because I had a schedule that had me waking up at like 2pm. No nausea at all,” they explained.

“But suddenly it’s back and now I think it has something to do with waking up in the morning.”

Among the numerous other comments from people agreeing they struggle, too, one person added: “YES!! no matter how much sleep I get or if I eat before bed I still get nauseous waking up early, but not if I wake up at my normal time.”

Dr Zachary Rubin, a double board-certified paediatrician specialising in allergy and immunology, shared on Instagram that it’s “common” for people to experience nausea if they wake up earlier than usual and there are several reasons why this might be.

He explained: “When you wake up earlier, it can disrupt your digestive system since it has its own body clock – kind of like the circadian rhythm you have with your sleep cycle.

“That, coupled with having an empty stomach, stress hormones, and lack of sleep can make you feel quite queasy.”

According to BASS Medical Group, low blood sugar can contribute to morning nausea and lightheadedness. “If you skipped dinner or didn’t eat enough protein and carbs the night before, your body may be running on empty by morning,” reads the site.

Dehydration and anxiety can also contribute to this sensation, as can taking certain types of medication (iron tablets, antibiotics, etc) and underlying gastrointestinal conditions.

To reduce the chance of this happening, Dr Rubin suggested getting to bed earlier if you plan on having an early start.

He also suggested ensuring you have a bright light exposed to you when you first wake up “because that’ll help jump start your day from a circadian rhythm standpoint”.

Eat a bland snack, if you can, and hydrate to help your digestive system. “Avoid fatty foods or alcohol,” he also advised.

If you’re going to be travelling by car somewhere – for example, a taxi to the airport or train station – he advises staying off your phone, sitting in the front seat and having plenty of air circulating to help keep motion sickness at bay.

Lastly, the expert warned, if you suffer nausea every morning (regardless of when you wake up), you’re vomiting, losing weight, having severe abdominal pain, headaches, or it’s possible you’re pregnant, speak to your medical provider about it as an underlying issue may be at play.