You can lose weight by staying in bed longer
And other stories from the stranger side of life

There’s good news for those of us who love a lie-in: an extra hour’s sleep a night can shave 270 calories off a person’s daily diet – the equivalent of around three chocolate digestive biscuits. Over three years, this could lead to a weight loss of 1.8 stone, according to researchers at the University of Chicago and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “Many people are working hard to find ways to decrease their caloric intake to lose weight – well, just by sleeping more, you may be able to reduce it substantially,” said Esra Tasali, director of the UChicago Sleep Centre.
Psychedelic researcher had ‘relationship with pigeon’
A psychedelic researcher spent 15 years in a relationship with a pigeon whom she believed judged her for not being able to fly. “I know telepathy exists because I had this passionate relationship with a pigeon who I brought up from a baby and he fixated and fell madly in love with me and I with him,” said Amanda Feilding, 79, in an interview with Vice TV. Feilding also revealed that she once drilled a hole in her own head after an LSD trip.
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Two rows a month equals a happy marriage
A survey of 2,000 married Brits has found that the recipe for a happy marriage includes six meaningful conversations, three long walks and two massive rows every month. The Times reported that the most contented couples claimed to have sex five times a week and say “I love you” up to 20 times a fortnight. They also kiss two or three times a day and cuddle 11 times a week.
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