Should we press-gang older people into having fun?

Games such as cribbage, pontoon and shove ha’penny could take us back to the school yard and rattle our marbles

Nordic countries’ ‘happy’ reputation masks sadness of young, says report

Exclusive: Significant minority of young people in Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Iceland ‘struggling or suffering’

I’m a paranoid parent – and proud of it

Many of us are having fewer kids, later in life, so overwhelming parental anxiety is not just normal – it makes sense, says Guardian columnist Catherine Shoard

Syphilis diagnoses are booming – it’s clear sexual health needs an overhaul

Responsibility for services is shared by NHS and councils and there is little evidence of a united effort on prevention

Poor sleep makes people pile on the pounds, study finds

Disrupted sleep alters metabolism and boosts body’s ability to store fat, data shows

‘I need a minute (and a half)’: counting to 90 and three other ways to handle your anger

Experts are divided over an initiative that encourages people to count away their rage. What other methods could help you in a moment of fury?

Instead of judging women who want a C-section, why not listen?

Women’s needs should be paramount when it comes to birth planning, says the director of Birthrights Rebecca Schiller

Modern myths about cancer – from ‘chemicals’ in food to wifi

The idea that lifestyle changes have made the disease more common is a gross exaggeration – but increasingly prevalent. We separate fact from fiction

I was scared of losing my sight… then writing brought me clarity

After being told disease would destroy her vision, Paola Peretti wrote a children’s novel – and found a template for life

Indian state launches breastfeeding drive in bid to cut infant deaths

Rajasthan moves to tackle above average infant mortality rate by promoting natural feeding in first hour of life