Healthy living – articles and advice
Exercise and physical activity
Articles on diet, fitness, sleep and overall wellbeing, supporting a healthy lifestyle.
Exercise and physical activity
Regular activity boosts energy, mood and overall health. Learn how to fit exercise into your routine and choose activities that suit your lifestyle.
- UpdatedStay fit indoors: winter workout ideas you can do at home
- UpdatedHow to avoid injury while strength training
- Knee health: how to prevent knee injuries
- Walk, jog, repeat: what is Jeffing?
- What are the long-term benefits of exercise?
- How to start a new fitness routine this autumn
- Weekend workouts might be enough for your health
- 5 ways to get more out of every step you take on the road to better health
- Do you really need to walk 10,000 steps a day?
- How to keep kids active over the summer
- What is somatic exercise? Exploring the mind-body connection
- What is rucking and is it right for you?
- Is TikTok's 12-3-30 workout any good?
- What is Reformer Pilates and why is it so popular?
- How to fall in love with exercise
- 7 morning stretches to get you ready for the day
- Why spending time outdoors can improve your health
- The benefits of switching up your exercise
- Why sitting ruins our health - and how 22 minutes of exercise could help
- How to deal with stress through exercise
- Women's health in sport: injuries, menstruation, and motherhood
- 8 high-protein nuts to boost your strength
- Could cold exposure boost your health and wellbeing?
- Are dance workouts good for keeping fit?
- Are creatine supplements effective at building muscle?
- How to get into CrossFit exercise safely as a beginner
- 6 health benefits of swimming
- How to get into swimming safely for beginners
- What are the benefits of squats?
- Do 30-day fitness challenges actually work?
- The best resistance band workouts to build muscle
- What are the best resistance band exercises for legs?
- How to do Pilates at home
- What are the benefits of postnatal Pilates?
- What are the benefits of Pilates?
- Can fitness trackers help boost activity levels in adults?
- How to get over gym anxiety
- HIIT or weights: which is best for weight loss?
- Natural protein verses protein powder: which is better for strength training?
- How to get back into exercise after having a baby
- How to strengthen your core
- A guide to essential home gym equipment
- Is running bad for your knees?
- Should you eat before swimming and what types of food are best?
- How to maintain your fitness New Year's resolutions
- How to work out without feeling like you're exercising
- What does spinning do to your body?
- How can you start strength training at home?
- How to work out in a heatwave
- Can exercise help you feel less stressed?
- Which sports are the worst for your health?
- Keeping kids active over Christmas
- How to become more flexible
- How to deal with a fear of judgement whilst exercising
- What are the benefits of strength exercises?
- Can you do too much exercise?
- How to exercise safely in later life
- How to maintain your running routine in winter
- Is your exercise routine giving you acne?
- New campaign helps people with chronic conditions get active
- Fun ways to keep fit without even realising it
- What are the health benefits of yoga?
- HIIT for weight loss: how does it compare to traditional cardio?
- How to exercise with a physical disability
- The health benefits of stretching every day
- How to run a 10k with no experience
- Do sports drinks really work to improve performance?
- How to spot the signs of an exercise addiction
- Can exercise help with grief?
- Should you exercise if you have a chronic illness?
- Will future towns and cities focus on fitness?
- How to embrace fitness after 50
- How to get over your fear of exercise
- Video: Hip pain exercises
- Video: Glute strengthening exercises
- The best forms of exercise for those who hate the gym
- Improving mental and physical health through exercise
- Balancing exercise and your diet
Gender identity
Gender identity is the personal sense of one's own gender. Gender identity can correlate with a person's assigned sex or can differ from it.
- LGBTQ+ travel: how to stay safe
- Why do young LGBTQ+ people have a poorer experience of cancer care?
- How remote mental health services have helped the LGBTQ+ community
- What does it mean to be intersex?
- Debunking transgender stereotypes and myths
- Debunking bisexual stereotypes and myths
- Debunking gay men stereotypes and myths
- Debunking lesbian stereotypes and myths
- LGBTQI+: what are the barriers and challenges in end of life care?
- LGBTQ+ people share their personal conversion therapy stories
- What harm can conversion therapy cause and why isn't it banned?
- How to bind your chest safely
- Why do transgender people struggle to get cervical screening?
- Is there an LGBTQ+ health gap?
- Should you 'come out' to your doctor?
- Do lesbian and bisexual women still need smear tests?
- What to do if you're questioning your sexuality
- How to support your transgender child
Managing harmful habits
Whether it’s smoking, drinking, or gambling, breaking harmful habits is tough. Learn about tools, treatments and support to help you make lasting change.
Alcohol advice
- How to look after your liver during freshers’ week
- What are the dangers of drinking in hot weather?
- What are the risks of alcohol as you get older?
- The best way to get rid of a hangover
- Why does drinking alcohol affect your sleep?
- How to drink less over Christmas and the New Year
- How does alcohol affect your body temperature?
- Should you take regular breaks from drinking alcohol throughout the year?
- 5 best Dry January apps for 2024
- How to control your drinking at a work Christmas party
- What are the benefits of giving up alcohol?
- Ketone drinks: a buzzy and safe alcohol-alternative?
- How to create healthy drinking habits that last beyond Dry January
- How to drink safely over Christmas and New Year
- Hard seltzer: how healthy is it?
- Drinking in the sun: a dangerous cocktail
- What is alcohol intolerance, and what are its symptoms?
- What is alcoholic cardiomyopathy?
- What not to say to someone who doesn't drink alcohol
- Alcohol and anxiety: can booze trigger panic attacks?
- Where to find support if you have been a victim of drink spiking
- How to tell if a drink has been spiked
- What to do when you're waiting for drug or alcohol services
- Is going sober becoming a trend?
- How to drink sensibly over the festive season
- Does alcohol cause cancer?
- One in five hospital patients have a problem with alcohol
- How does alcohol affect your sex life?
- The warning signs of a drinking problem
- Can mindful drinking improve your mental health?
Smoking and vaping
- Smoking effects on skin: from ageing to illness
- Does vaping age or damage your skin?
- How to quit smoking during pregnancy
- Safer than cigarettes? The rise of vaping in schools
- How to stop smoking
- Will making e-cigarettes available on prescription encourage teenagers to smoke?
- E-cigarettes could be prescribed on the NHS in world first
- Does smoking affect your sex life?
- What does smoking do to your heart?
- What to do if you relapse after quitting smoking
- The truth about vaping
- Should you take Champix to help you stop smoking?
- The best ways to quit smoking for good
- How quitting smoking affects your mental health
- Half of smokers would quit if they were paid to do so
- Smoking could lead to sight loss, warn optometrists
- How to resist the toughest cigarette cravings
- How to quit smoking without gaining weight
- Are e-cigarettes a safe way to quit smoking?
- Fagerström test
Online and social media
- Level up your real life: 6 health tips every gamer needs to know
- How to spot the signs of cyberbullying
- Blue light filters: do they really work?
- How to talk to your child about social media
- Dr Krishna Vakharia: A look back - and forward
- How to spot the signs of gaming addiction in children
- Doomscrolling: Is the news bad for your mental health?
- How to support your child if they are being cyberbullied
- Social media therapy - is online mental health advice helpful?
- How to look after your mental health on social media
- How to find reliable health information online
- Tips for a healthier online life
- How much screen time is too much?
- More evidence that social media is associated with teenage depression
- Is video game addiction real?
- Why you're addicted to your iPhone
- Is social media making us depressed?
Mental wellbeing
Mental health matters just as much as physical health. Learn strategies to manage stress, improve resilience and take care of your emotional wellbeing.
- What is 'good mental health'?
- How to be happy: 12 everyday tips
- 5 benefits of reading
- Is brain rot real - here's what brain health experts say
- How to talk to people about your mental health
- More than just entertainment: Jeanie Y. Chang on K-dramas and mental health
- New Year, New Me: Why reinventing yourself in 2025 might be bad for your mental health
- Body positivity: 7 daily habits for self-love and acceptance at any age
- When to take a mental health day at work - and how to talk to your boss
- What to do if you feel lonely
- Can hair transplants improve mental health?
- How to improve your self-esteem and be kinder to yourself
- The best mindfulness apps, according to experts
- How to stop ‘mum guilt’ from impacting your mental health
- Does the moon really affect us?
- National Houseplant Week: Health benefits of biophilia and plants
- Why new year's resolutions fail - and what you can do about it
- Why a Christmas movie can make us feel good
- Why we should be making mental health New Year resolutions
- Why walking your dog can boost your mental health
- Is Christmas music good or bad for your mental health?
- Movember spotlight: black men's mental health
- 5 ways to look after your mental health this Christmas
- What are the mental health benefits of making your bed in the morning?
- Why you should take up a creative hobby this year
- How to improve your mental health while working from home
- How to look after your mental health during your menstrual cycle
- How has working from home affected our mental health?
- Is the term 'wellness' problematic?
- What mental health support is available to veterans?
- How gut bacteria affect mood, focus and brain health
- Why do we find it comforting to re-watch our favourite movies?
- Is crying good for you?
- What is the difference between mental health and mental illness?
- How peer support can help boost your mental health
- How to protect your mental health in the workplace as a Black woman
- Is the vagus nerve the key to our mental health?
- Mental health: keeping track of your symptoms and early interventions
- How to manage your mental health if you've been made redundant
- The impact of boredom on our health
- What you need to know about parenting with a mental health issue
- The link between gut health and happiness
- The mental health impact of skin conditions
- What to do if you're struggling with your mental health at Christmas
- How to look after your mental health at university
- Young people who seek mental health support forced to cope on their own
- Can spending time in nature benefit your mental health?
- The health benefits of seawater
- How your teeth can affect your self-esteem
- Why going bald can seriously affect your mental health
- How to look after your mental health this winter
- Can football tackle mental health stigma?
- Breaking the stigma of mental health
Obesity and weight loss
Carrying extra weight can affect your health. Learn how weight loss supports wellbeing, explore healthy ways to lose weight, and avoid risky quick fixes.
- UpdatedDoes apple cider vinegar help with weight loss?
- UpdatedCan probiotics treat obesity and diabetes?
- Understanding internalised weight bias: a guide to self-acceptance
- Beyond diet and exercise: understanding holistic weight management
- Why you don't need to detox
- The most common reasons you're not losing weight
- 10 daily habits for healthy weight loss
- How to lower your BMI and lose weight healthily
- What your waist measurement says about your health
- Is Pilates good for weight loss?
- Size matters: why our oversized portions are contributing to the obesity crisis
- Will the government's obesity strategy work?
- Does BMI matter?
- Can you lose weight and be body positive?
- How does losing a lot of weight affect your mental health?
- Does cold weather boost weight loss?
- Why fad diets can actually lead to weight gain
- Can we trust BMI charts for kids?
- Obesity blamed for fewer eligible organ donors
- Switch off TV in the bedroom to avoid weight gain
- Does stress cause weight gain?
- What to do if your weight is getting you down
- Can you really be fit and fat?
- The conditions that cause unexpected weight gain
- Do crash diets ever really work for healthy weight loss?
- Do calorie counts on restaurant menus lead to healthier choices?
- Problems caused by being underweight
- Can you blame your weight on your genes?
- Does eating spicy food help you lose weight?
- How to talk to your child about their weight
Weight loss treatments and surgery
- What is bariatric surgery?
- How weight loss surgery changed my life: Gemma's story
- How to stop taking Mounjaro or switch to an alternative
- What happens when you stop taking weight loss injections?
- Who is eligible for weight loss injections?
- What are weight loss injections and are they safe?
- What is gastric sleeve surgery?
- Are protein shakes good for weight loss?
- Do diet pills really work – and are they safe?
- Orlistat healthy eating guide
- Can hypnotherapy help you lose weight?
Relationships
Good relationships are key to wellbeing. Learn about communication, respect and boundaries, and how to seek support if a relationship becomes unhealthy.
In this topic:RelationshipsParentingSexual relationships
- How to spot the warning signs of domestic abuse
- Have a healthy, happy Father's Day
- What is person-centred counselling?
- Domestic abuse survivors more likely to develop serious mental illness
- Spotting depression in your partner
Parenting
- Parental burnout: your guide to understanding and overcoming it
- How to cope with the stress of being a new parent
- How to be a calm parent when you're stressed
- How to deal with empty nest syndrome at Christmas
- How to get your child the right support at school
- How to ask kids about their health
- Can counselling help you decide when or whether to have children?
- What parents need to know about school entry health checks
- When is your child too sick for school?
- How to talk to children about death
- How to talk to your kids about sex, porn and healthy relationships
- Should parents worry about 'dry drowning'?
- What to do if your teen has a drug problem
- How many children should you have?
Sexual relationships
- Nurturing intimacy: 6 tips for long-term relationships
- How to talk to your partner about painful sex
- What you need to know about sexual fantasies
- Is your lifestyle impacting your sex drive?
- How to have great sex in later life
- How to talk to your partner about a sexual problem
- How an affair affects your sexual and mental health
- Telling current and past partners about your STI
Sleep and insomnia
Sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-being throughout your life. Discover how to improve your sleep routine as well as causes of and self help for insomnia.
- UpdatedDo you need more sleep in winter?
- Trouble sleeping? The culprit may be something you ate
- Good sleep matters: it isn't just about clocking hours
- Can better sleep help with diabetes?
- Sleep videos
- How to improve your sleep behaviour
- Grounding mats: can they boost your wellbeing?
- Transform your sleep: a guide to overcoming stress dreams
- Are facial workouts good for sleep, speech and oral health?
- How to fix your sleep schedule with a healthy bedtime routine
- Is sleep apnoea dangerous? When snoring problems turn serious
- How to fall asleep fast: 5 simple methods for speedy sleep
- How to sleep better
- Heartburn at night: how to improve sleep quality with heartburn
- How revenge bedtime procrastination affects your health - and how to avoid it
- CBT for insomnia: how does it work?
- Should you keep a dream journal?
- What causes sleepwalking and how can you stop?
- What are sleep trackers and do they work?
- Pregnancy insomnia: how to get better sleep while pregnant
- Does getting good sleep really improve your skin?
- Do naps count as sleep?
- How to alleviate your menopause sleep problems
- Can antidepressants cause vivid dreams?
- How does your period impact your sleep?
- Tips for better sleep in summer
- How getting older affects your sleep
- Can hypnotherapy help insomnia?
- Gene discovery may explain why some people cope on little sleep
- Insomnia linked to increased risk of heart disease and stroke
- 1 in 10 people have encountered a near-death experience
- Is it really worth tracking your sleep?
- What causes sleep paralysis?
- Can you really die from lack of sleep?
- How long should a power nap be?
- What is polyphasic or biphasic sleep, and is it good for you?
- What to do when your child can't sleep
- What your dreams can reveal about your health
- How to stop snoring wrecking your sleep and your relationship
- The link between anxiety and insomnia
- Healthier ways to get your TV fix
- What binge-watching is really doing to your health
- What's the right temperature for sleep?
- Understanding the cause of your sleep problems
- Why do we need sleep?
- Do teenagers really need more sleep?
- Is insomnia affecting your job?
- Can a new bed improve your insomnia?
- Can the clocks changing affect insomnia?
- How to sleep-proof your relationship
- Why phones should be banned from the bedroom
- Sleep diary