Wellbeing
Menstrual cups
The pros and cons of reusable sanitary products
Amy Eisinger Maybe you've stayed faithful to your trusty tampons or pads ever since Aunt Flow's first visit. Still, it'd be hard not to notice the hype around reusable feminine hygiene products - menstrual cups, period underwear, reusable tampons - that's all over the Internet.
Friendship focus
Why it's OK to say no to friends and focus on yourself instead
Rebecca Shaw Maintaining friendships can be hard work, but what's the fun in that? Rebecca Shaw thinks we all need to give each other a break.
Depression
How to tell if you're depressed or just low
Linda Blair Here are three questions that will help you understand whether you may be suffering from clinical depression.
Rest up
Why sleep should be a key factor in your fitness regime
Gabriella Boston It's sleep - specifically deep sleep - that is the difference when it comes to such things as muscle recovery, mental acuity and reaction time.
Breaking bad
The best way to break a problem habit
Rachel Nussbaum Even the most virtuous person has a bad habit (or two) they'd like to break.
Sleep well
How to get a good night's sleep tonight
Had a few ruff nights? Develop a good evening routine and your body will thank you in the morning.
Listen in
Four mental health podcasts to wrap your mind around
Jenna Sten Psychology, psychiatry, mental illness, symptom, trauma, disorder – these are murky and scary words for many people. These podcasts are an accessible and super entertaining way to get educated on the mysteries of the mind.
Getting help
How do you choose the right therapist?
Linda Blair It's not easy to admit you're suffering from a psychological problem, and it's a brave decision to seek therapy. It's vital, therefore, that you can feel confident about the person with whom you'll be working.
Triage your life
Evelyn Lewin Approach your to-do list like an emergency ward nurse and see the results.
Bio home
The surprising health consequences of living in a pristine urban home
Chelsea Harvey The way we design and build our houses may be impacting a tiny, but important, aspect of our lives: the microscopic organisms that share those homes with us.
Phone detox
How to give yourself an effective smartphone detox
Emily Sohn Given the pleasure they bring and the anxiety they can alleviate, reducing dependence on our phones can seem impossible.
When venting goes from helpful to harmful
Katherine Schreiber Apparently there is no scientific evidence that venting helps us calm down.
Real life
I'm a therapist, and I was in a darker place than my patients
As told to Laura Powell "I am sitting opposite my sixth patient of the day. She is describing a terrible incident in her childhood. I am nodding, hoping I appear normal. Inside, I feel anything but."
Take a hike
The science behind taking a walk
Linda Blair Recent findings have shown that the benefits of walking depend on how and where it happens.
Dad bod
Why men need to shape up for pregnancy too
What does a would-be father's waistline and smoking habits have to do with the health of his future children? More than you might think.
Stand up
What's standing in the way of taking up a standing desk?
Aisha Sultan If sitting is the new smoking, then quitting the sedentary habit can be just as tough.
Shame-free fitness
Where are all the feminist personal trainers?
Iona Bruce took her fitness into her own hands after seeing a personal trainer who refused to listen to her needs. Now she is one of a surprisingly rare breed of PTs who take a feminist approach to exercise.
Healthy hobby
Why you should make knitting your next healthy habit
Jane E. Brody The rewards of knitting go well beyond replacing stress and anxiety with the satisfaction of creation.
Back pain
How regular exercise can help you avoid back pain
Gretchen Reynolds Until now, few studies have systematically examined what really works against recurring back pain - and what doesn't.
Probiotic problems
The pros and cons of taking probiotics
Sarah Berry Plenty of research indicates eating natural probiotics like kimchi or yoghurt is really good for us. But does that mean we should start popping probiotic pills?
Hangovers
Why do hangovers get worse as you get older?
Rachel Nussbaum No, you're not just imagining it, mornings after are getting worse.
Shower schedule
How often should you shower?
Annita Katee Batliwala How many times do you shower a week? Twice? Twice a day? What actually is the right amount?
Work-life balance
How can we make flexible work schedules a reality?
Rebecca Greenfield When workers have control over their own schedules, it results in lower levels of stress, psychological distress, burnout, and higher job satisfaction.
New mums
How sleep interruption as a new mum messes with your moods
Evelyn Lewin Having a new baby is a joy. But research shows being constantly woken makes you less likely to feel as happy.
Vulnerability
How not to freak out in the face of vulnerability
Katherine Schreiber While letting people in is sometimes scary, it is precisely what enables us to enrich our lives.
Female friendships
How close female friendships can profoundly impact your health and happiness
Heather Skyler There can be a romance, particularly to female friendships, that is different from the passion of romantic love, but also richer and deeper in some ways.
Caffeine fix
How a cup of coffee can dramatically impact your workout
Suzee Skwiot A caffeine fix could be just the kick your workout needs.
Declutter
9 super simple ways to declutter your life for good
Jeff Cattel They're all super simple and won't leave you picking up for hours on end.
Body image
Learning to love your labia
If you think all is not normal 'down there', maybe it's time for a reality check.
Couple sleeping
How to cope with incompatible sleep schedules
Bruce Feiler When one person has sleep issues, both can suffer. So, what can you do about it?
'Get over it'
Why trying to 'get over it' might not be the answer
Cynthia Kane How do we learn to live with frustrating and painful situations?
Single life
10 reasons being single is good for your health
Rachael Schultz Sure, being in a couple is great. But it can take a toll on your wallet, sleep patterns, friendships and more.
Mental health
Learning to live with anxiety and OCD
Sarah Maraniss Vander Schaaff "It is embarrassing to share my private struggle, but not so embarrassing that I don't want someone else to learn from it."
Myth busting
Five myths about habits and how to break them
Wendy Wood Before you give up prematurely on your New Year's resolutions, it helps to know the psychology of habits.
Hangover cure?
The horrible science of hangovers (and how to get rid of them)
Rachel Feltman There's no silver bullet but there are a few things that might ease the pain.
'Clean eating'
When 'clean eating' is a euphemism for an eating disorder
Jen Vuk By its very name, "clean eating" makes the clear assumption that any other form of eating is "dirty or shameful".
Try your luck
Can good luck be engineered?
Lindy Alexander Don't leave good fortune to chance - help create your own, writes Lindy Alexander.
Lucky star
Lindy Alexander Don't leave good fortune to chance, help create your own, writes Lindy Alexander.
Family feuds
When is it time to break up with a family member?
Tamekia Reece We're all told "blood is thicker than water" but sometimes cutting off a family member really is the best thing.
Workplace culture
Do you have a 'toxic employee' in your workplace?
Ariana Eunjung Cha The characteristics of a 'toxic worker' might not be what you would expect.
Holiday season
How to survive the silly season with your mental health intact
Helena Oliviero Stop, slow down, and don't let the hustle and bustle of the season drive you batty.
Morning After
How to (pre-emptively) handle an epic hangover
Kathleen Lee-Joe There's no need to spend the festive season in bed with a throbbing head. We've preventative and morning-after tips to help you on your road to recovery.
Happiness
Happiness does not affect how long you live
Laura Donnelly A study of one million women found happy souls are no more likely to live longer.
Writing as therapy
How blogging and memoir writing can help the sick and traumatised
Gina McColl Writing as therapy is having a moment. Can it really cure the sick, the sad and the self-loathing?
Pseudo-profundity
Why people see profundity in vague buzzwords
Roberto A. Ferdman We all know them, the kinds of people who think total nonsense is really deep.
Christmas Blues
How to handle or prevent family conflicts at holiday gatherings
Irene Maher Here's some advice for making it through the festive season without a blowup (or two).
Big change
How to know if you are ready for a big life change
Susie Moore There is a freedom in not living the life people expect you to.
Stressed out
Five quick tips to help alleviate stress
Shelby Sheehan-Bernard It's a stressful time of year but there are things you can do to keep calm.
Monitoring stress
Can we monitor our stress like we track our steps?
Kren Weintraub What if we could measure out stress in the same way we monitor steps and movement.
Information gap
The information gap that's restricting women's access to abortions
Jenna Price There are lots of problems surrounding abortion. But this is one many would not have considered.
Green space
Can indoor plants improve your health?
Roni Caryn Rabin The evidence is clear on the benefits of green spaces. But what about when they are inside?
Mood boosters
How to keep your mood up when life gets tough
Judi Light Hopson, Emma H. Hopson and Ted Hagen In order to crawl out of a bad mood, it pays to focus on what will help.
New laws to allow women in California and Oregon to get birth control directly from pharmacists
Pam Belluck and Sabrina Tavernise Pharmacists will be authorised to prescribe contraceptives after a quick screening process in which women fill out a questionnaire about their health and medical histories.
Alternative medicine
How smart people are being fooled by wellness gurus
Samantha Selinger-Morris Alternative health treatments and online wellness gurus are flourishing, even though their therapies can cause more harm than good.
Better health
Five ways your smartphone can help your health
Jennifer Jolly Turns out turning off your mobile phone isn't necessarily the healthier option.
Work-life balance
A more tangible way to measure work-life balance
Judy Rose And possible solutions to reduce time pressure and stress.
Period trackers
The benefits of using an app to track your period
Roni Caryn Rabin They can remind users to pack tampons, take birth control pills or have a breast exam.
Multitasking
Is multitasking actually good for productivity?
Linda Blair How multitasking affects efficiency, accuracy and our ability to learn.
Melancholia
Is there a healthy level of melancholy?
Laren Stover It doesn't hurt to indulge in the cloudy charms of melancholy, writes Laren Stover.
The moment I knew I had to stop drinking
Olive Franks* My abstinence has never lasted. But this time it's different.
