From a sauna to an ice bath in Scotland: my full immersion in hot and cold therapy

A peaceful woodland estate in Aberdeenshire now offers wellbeing breaks with adrenaline-boosting Nordic-style treatments

‘It comes for your very soul’: how Alzheimer’s undid my dazzling, creative wife in her 40s

The long read: By the time my wife got a diagnosis, her long and harrowing deterioration had already begun. By the end, I was in awe of her

The cult of 5am: is rising at dawn the secret of health and happiness?

It has been called the morning miracle – getting up before everyone else and winning the day. But does it actually make you more productive and focused?

Could you forgive your childhood bully? Katy Wix confronts a painful memory

When the actor and comedian’s teenage best friend suddenly became her cruel tormentor, Katy Wix’s mum told her to be patient and not to let it get to her. But it did. Decades later, a message arrives out of the blue…

59 summer problems solved – from sunburn and sweating to wasps and wedgies

Limp salad, bad barbecues, jellyfish stings and chafing. Summer can be a tricky season – but our experts are on hand to help with your hot-weather headaches

‘Stunning lakes and majestic mountains’: readers’ tips from Europe

Dramatic scenery, gleaming lakes and unspoilt views take the fancy of our adventurous tipsters, from France to Albania

The kindness of strangers isn’t always obvious but it can be delightfully disarming

What at first glance looked like the actions of an angry, aggrieved individual turned out to be the embodiment of goodwill

UK universities urged to end drugs zero tolerance and focus on harm reduction

Report proposing new approach welcomed by mother of Jeni Larmour, who died after taking alcohol and ketamine

Head lice are everywhere. Are selfies to blame?

Infestations are on the rise – and it may have something to do with our constant camera use

Self-help was meant to make me feel better. Instead it turned toxic – and borderline dangerous

For 15 years I read the books, took the courses and downloaded the apps to try to become a better person. None of it helped, says writer Emily Goddard