‘I spent a week crying. I’ve never had an injury in my life!’ Why do so many fitness fans end up needing surgery?

From the 47-year-old runner who needs a double hip replacement to the 27-year-old CrossFitter with a ruptured ACL, those who push their bodies too hard often regret it. What are the lessons for the rest of us?

Repeated use of saunas could help people cope better in heatwaves, scientists say

Growing number of studies assessing whether heat training can help people prepare for scorching temperatures

Four types of thinker have been identified. Which one are you?

Investigation finds evidence of distinct groups, from big-picture thinkers to those who sweat the small stuff

Can a ‘power phrase’ turn a spineless worm like me into a go-getter? I doubt it – but it’s worth a shot

The psychotherapist Amy Morin says uttering a ‘short, positive sentence’ can offer the cognitive reset we need. The idea makes me cringe – but then I can barely cope with returning defective trousers, writes Emma Beddington

Hormones on the brain? Everything you need to know about HRT, testosterone, melatonin and more

Cortisol is bad. Testosterone makes you aggressive. Melatonin helps you sleep. Experts bust common hormone myths

Sitting for more than 30 minutes at a time linked to higher risk of cancer death

Study suggests even light activity such as ironing could reduce health risks linked to prolonged sedentary behaviour

Fit with just five minutes’ exercise a day? I don’t believe it

Everyone these days wants to optimise their workouts, but when a study seems too good to be true, it usually is, says public health expert Devi Sridhar

Is it true that … you have five seconds’ grace after dropping food on the floor?

Many of us have reassured ourselves with the ‘five second rule’, but bacteria can transfer almost immediately – and sticks around for hours

The doctor who mends broken brains: why there is room for hope after a stroke or head injury

The neurologist Orlando Swayne doesn’t suggest everyone can recover. But he does argue that early, targeted and intense therapy can sometimes bring about life-changing improvements – and we have a moral obligation to provide it

Poor sleep linked to rising cancer risk in under-50s

Findings add to growing efforts to explain why cancer rates are increasing among younger adults worldwide