And breathe … Gurus extol the virtues of conscious respiration

Devotees say the practice helps address anxiety, addiction, stress and other health issues.

Life in the home counties brings 16 more years of good health…

Gulf in healthy life expectancy reveals widening regional inequalities, according to parliamentary report

James Middleton (and Ella the dog): no need to mooch with a pooch for companionship

Pippa Middleton’s brother has been eloquent about his experience of depression and how pets can help

Barely any UK teens meeting exercise and screen time guidelines

Canadian researchers developed guidelines relating to exercise, screen time and sleep

Penguin Random House to release audiobooks to send listeners to sleep

Sleep Tales collections aimed at listeners with chronic insomnia, thought to affect 10-15% of adults

Too many women have pain during sex. Let’s break the taboo about it

It’s a common complaint, and help is available – yet still, few dare seek it out, says TV journalist Susannah Thraves

Berlin Wall pills: a cure for emotional trauma – or royal-endorsed quackery?

The homeopathic pills, made from ground-up pieces of the Berlin Wall, supposedly help overcome ‘emotional barriers’, and are available at the royal family’s pharmacy of choice

Virtual reality headsets to distract women from the pain of labour? Dream on

No coral reefs or dancing penguins can distract from the overwhelming experience of giving birth, says columnist and writer Nell Frizzell

Cardiovascular disease risk greater in people prone to insomnia – study

People genetically predisposed to sleep problems have greater risk of heart failure and stroke, say researchers

Mums-to-be reject baby showers for ‘mother blessings’

Increasingly popular spiritual gatherings controversially borrow from Navajo traditions