Giraffepods, hot masks and a massage pillow: testing Japan’s answers to the perfect power nap

In a country where more than 40% get less than six hours’ sleep a night and millions nap at work, new ways to grab forty winks are big business

Should I worry that my hot drink will give me cancer?

How hot should a hot drink be? And is it time to dilute your herbal tea with some cold water?

Readers reply: why do so many people drink very hot tea – and how do they do it?

The long-running series in which readers answer other readers’ questions on subjects ranging from trivial flights of fancy to profound scientific and philosophical concepts

The openness of talking to strangers – and the intimate stories they share

The stories people tell me about their lives can be funny, surprising, tragic or shocking – and some stay with me for years

Fitness fads come and go, so why not walk away from the pressure to count your daily steps?

A 22-minute brisk daily walk is the new magic number, but when I’m not watching the clock, I lose track of time – in the best possible way

A home help for eight days after giving birth? Why Dutch maternity care is the envy of the world

Everyone who gives birth in the Netherlands has the legal right to a kraamzorg to help with everything from breastfeeding to laundry. How do these new mums find it?

My drive to improve others makes me a never-pleased father figure. Is there a way out?

Knowing you want to change is a good sign, writes advice columnist Eleanor Gordon-Smith. It might help to remind yourself of the pain judgment can inflict

My grandmother’s support – and Creole cooking – helped me to love myself when I didn’t know how

When I felt lonely growing up, my grandmother’s company and cuisine were a soothing balm

Fika, four-week holidays – and zero overtime: Sweden’s stunningly healthy work culture

From wellbeing allowances to generous parental leave to a bonus in your pay packet when you take a break, the Scandinavian country has a lot to teach the rest of the world

Pregnant in Gaza with no clinics: ‘I have no idea where I will give birth’

As one of 50,000 pregnant women in Gaza, Noor Hammad faces a traumatic birth and fraught start in life for her first baby