Health Month

While there are likely to be positive effects when engaging in stimulating your brain, biology and genetics will play their own significant part in how we age

There’s no need for grand new year resolutions: change can be quiet, personal and profound

New campaign aims to tackle widespread ignorance about HIV, a treatable condition that, contrary to myths, cannot be spread by kissing or using the same utensils

We want to support him as best as we can, but we also want him to stay in school

In China authorities say they are dealing with an outbreak of human metapneumovirus – but it is not something to be alarmed about

I would not have considered myself a big drinker and, like so many Irish people, I was lying to myself

Morning coffee drinkers less likely to die from cardiovascular disease, analysis suggests

Tell Me About It: ‘I have all the usual accoutrements of car, house and holidays, and no fears about future finance, but it is not enough’

Six relationship resolutions for the new year from couples counsellors, sex therapists and relationship researchers

The Teen Parents Support Programme helps young people through pregnancy and with the practicalities of caring for their babies, often while continuing in education or finding suitable accommodation

Here, doctors share their advice on how to keep the vital organ healthy all year round

Jen Hogan: No way to keep the tears in check but maybe I’ll outgrow it, yet

Parenting Taboos: Admitting that you feel bored, unfulfilled, or even regret your choice to stay at home with your children is difficult but not uncommon

Prof Robert Kelly on how to make healthy heart habits stick

Dr Muiris Houston: Rocky times ahead for US healthcare, with several flagged changes set to have global repercussions

Next government needs to urgently implement a rights-based model of disability

The central pillars of the Fit Farmers programme are diet, movement, sleep and stress management for a better work-life balance

Childhood rickets is back in Britain – and it’s not because ill-health is the logical outcome of poor choices

From rows about staffing, waiting lists and cost overruns to resignations of senior staff, heathcare was never far from the news headlines in 2024

Many are familiar with the static hum of white noise, but there’s a whole spectrum of coloured noises on the market that people are using to help them sleep

I’m not entirely sedentary these days. I walk a lot. But recently I was talking to my GP and she suggested that I should also use my arms sometimes

The new year is a good time to take stock and start to transition to new, healthier habits

Access to consultants, private hospital rooms and reduced waiting times are some of the reasons why it can pay to have private health insurance

Ask the Expert: It feels like I am under surveillance about my parenting. What should I do? What are my rights about this?

Studies note a link between joint health and longevity and that those with better lower limb mobility are less likely to suffer falls in later life

Casting a line for something other than fish is a long-odds game but, fleetingly, all shared a sense of hope

Experts in exercise science and psychology share their best advice on how to cut through mental blocks

Tell Me About It: ‘The family dynamics have always been fractured and are now at an all-time low’

I am still amazed by the imbecility of people who know about my condition but nevertheless say: ‘Surely one little drink wouldn’t hurt you?’

Don’t let healthcare surroundings determine how you feel. Make the space your own with a few home comforts and items of self-care

Golfer Pádraig Harrington is proactive about raising awareness of oesophageal cancer, the incidence of which has grown about fourfold in the Western world in the last four decades

Ask the Expert: What can I do to help her settle at night without me?

Dr Muiris Houston: While there was some speculation online about the princess’s recent diagnosis, she may simply have wanted time to convalesce

Darragh Geraghty: Promising ‘free’ toys and treats, these brightly-coloured publications aimed at young children can make a simple trip to the shop very challenging

Research around wearables is telling us that the health benefits at both individual and population levels are significant for current and future generations

If you do not make provisions, your family will not have authority to make healthcare decisions on your behalf

Tell Me About It: ‘I’m female, 60-plus. I’ve stopped caring about everything’

Epilepsy: With every new referral, ‘we literally put on our detective hats and scrutinise the story’

Darragh Geraghty: I’m trying not to panic. They’re growing up. That’s normal and we’re lucky

Parenting in My Shoes: The paralympian says it doesn’t matter what the challenge is you’re facing. ‘We all face our own challenges and you’ve got to learn to get over them, embrace them’