Wellbeing

Big decisions

Using fear to guide you in decision making

Susie Moore Here are five very good reasons you should follow your dreams even when (and especially when) others don't approve.

Women get healthier after their husbands die

Sarah Knapton Marriage has long been thought to be beneficial - both in sickness and in health. But a study suggests that widows actually suffer less stress and frailty than wives whose husbands are still alive.

Life & love

11 things you don't actually need to have figured out by age 30

Locke Hughes Once you accept that being grown up isn't exactly what you thought it would be, it can be pretty freeing.

Rewiring the mind

How you and your body can change your brain

Sarah Berry The way you move, rest and think can change your brain, according to the latest in neuroplasticity. Here's how.

Genetics

How DNA might influence your sex life

Karen Kaplan Your DNA doesn't determine when you lose your virginity, but it may play a larger role in the matter than scientists had thought.

Anxiety stigma

One in five Australians believes people with anxiety 'put it on'

Eryk Bagshaw Research shows more than 10 per cent of Australians aged between 30 and 34 believe people with anxiety are untrustworthy.

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Adult ADHD

Adult ADHD: The diagnosis that changed my life

Lisa Walton Labelled disruptive from childhood and unable to hold down a job, when Lisa Walton was told she had ADHD, her life finally started to make sense.

Saying sorry

The six key elements to an effective apology

Raziye Akkoc Here's what the researches say makes an apology more sincere and easier to accept.

30-day challenge

Is 30 days enough to create a habit?

Allie Shah Are there any lasting benefits to taking month-long challenges?

IBS

The real reason I’m embarrassed about my IBS

Patrick Lenton "I'm not embarrassed that I'm talking about poo - I'm embarrassed that you're rude enough to make me," writes Patrick Lenton.

Dream time

Arianna Huffington Arianna Huffington recounts her road to becoming a sleep evangelist.

Cry it out

Should we all deliberately cry more?

Cathy Jubb There are plenty of reasons to grab a box of tissues, shut the door and have a good bawl.

Trans health

Navigating the health system as a transgender person

Andrea K. McDaniels For many transgender people, finding the right health care services can be stressful, frustrating and complicated.

Great expectations

Manage your expectations to reduce unhappiness

Sarah Berry Expectations shape our experience of the world, so how do they affect our happiness.

Office air con

The reason your office is so damn freezing

Sheree Joseph Yep, you better believe it, the patriarchy controls your office air conditioning too.

Pay gap

Why young women leave their jobs

Danielle Paquette Writer Ann Friedman has some advice for employers who'd like to attract and retain top female talent:

Life support team

Megan Blandford Asking for help can be hard, but it's worth it. Megan Blandford talks with three women who used coaching to make their lives better.

I told the truth in my sister's obituary, so that others might choose to live

Eleni Pinnow The most alone I have ever felt was standing on my front porch on a chilly February evening. My sister had taped a note to the front door that said "Eleni, if you're the first one here don't go in the basement. Just call 911. I don't want you to see me like this. I love you! Love, Aletha."

Can meditation help cure chronic back pain?

Ariana Eunjung Cha A new study explored how stress reduction can help relieve physical discomfort.

Clem Bastow

Why I need to sleep naked, alone, and for as long as possible

Clem Bastow "I value sleeping alone above almost all else; the 'old-fashioned' set up of two twin beds in the marital bedroom (to say nothing of the exquisite heaven of two bedrooms) is my dream," writes Clem Bastow.

Tech world

How smartphones are killing our imaginations

Kim Arlington One survey found working from smartphones and tablets adds two hours to the average working day.

Psychology

Why smart people are better off with fewer friends

Christopher Ingraham Hell might actually be other people – at least if you're really smart.

Insomnia

7 ways to get through the day on little to no sleep

Laura Lea Goldberg How to optimise productivity and happiness when suffering from exhaustion.

Body clocks

Why some people become sleepy and sad in winter

Natalie Jacewicz Researchers have found a genetic explanation for why some chipper early birds turn glum in the wintertime.

Heart health

I had a heart attack and the doctors don't know why

Sue Palmer When you just don't feel right, don't ignore it like I almost did, Sue Palmer writes.

Self doubt

How too much confidence leads to bad decisions

Sarah Berry Why it's good to have a healthy amount of self doubt.

Sexual health

Why did Facebook censor this sexual health video we made?

Maeve Marsden * Especially when aggressively misogynistic, racist and homophobic posts and pages have been allowed to remain.

Sexual health

Why we need to destigmatise STIs

Paula Goodyer "If we can start to laugh a bit about STIs, it might make it easier to get serious about prevention and testing."

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.

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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.