The secrets of the body clock: how to tune into your natural rhythms – and have a better day

Our circadian cycle doesn’t just affect our sleeping and waking, but our motivations, mood, behaviour and alertness. Whether you are a lark or an owl, here’s how to recognise your own rhythm

‘Emerge from misty woods above a sea of clouds’: readers’ favourite UK winter walks

Readers revel in winter light, wildlife spectacles and cosy pubs from Norfolk to Northumberland

My weirdest Christmas: on Boxing Day I vomited in the sink – and began to suspect I had a mysterious condition

At first I thought my spinning head and nausea were symptoms of a hangover. But could they be connected to a documentary I had made on Havana syndrome?

Don’t fret the first night and nap if you need: how to sleep well, away from home

Disturbed sleep is very common as you adapt to a new environment but, with good sleep hygiene and some practical adjustments, you can quickly settle in

Is it true that … you can sweat out a hangover?

It’s the liver – not the skin – that rids the body of the toxins in alcohol, but exercise can help manage the symptoms

‘I’m going to scream!’: how to survive (and maybe even enjoy) your family Christmas

From preparing safe topics to taking silly games, we ask the experts how to avoid falling out with your nearest and dearest – before, during and after the big day

‘A potential treasure trove’: World Health Organization to explore benefits of traditional medicines

UN body to study possibility of integrating centuries-old practices into mainstream healthcare

I threw a potato. Mum brandished a knife … would whole-family therapy save our Christmas?

Eight years ago, after yet another disastrous festive get-together, my mother decided we needed professional help. Which is how a new festive tradition began

‘She was like a deer in headlights’: how unskilled radical birthkeepers took hold in Canada

In holistic communities and midwifery deserts, women are turning to the Free Birth Society for information and unlicensed providers

Sport, music, Scouts … it’s time to end the relentless treadmill of kids’ extracurricular activities and re-embrace civilisation

There are no uniforms to remember, no bags to pack, no mad dashes across suburbs at this time of year. Even dinner can be eaten while seated