In the acknowledgments of her 2024 novel “All Fours,” Miranda July explains that she was inspired by a series of conversations about “physical and emotional midlife changes” with several women close to her. “And while there is almost no trace of these actual conversations in the book,” she adds, “they made writing it more necessary.” […] … learn more→

Chances are that the end of the year has made you assess some of your 2024 New Year’s resolutions. Perhaps you, like us, bought a home spin bike or rowing machine in January. Most likely by March, you realised you’ve used it a lot less than you planned. And very probably by June, it has […] … learn more→

When your head reminds you of the excesses of the day before. Does the quality of the drink have an impact on the pain? Are there any remedies approved by science? Can you prevent a hangover? Since when do we have hangovers ( or “vesalgia” for scientists)? Probably for much longer than wine and other fermented drinks […] … learn more→

Breathing is a thing we do without thinking; it keeps us alive. But there is far more to this most basic of biological functions. Conscious breathing can reduce stress, anxiety and depression and prevent insomnia. Christiane Brems, author and clinical professor in psychiatry and behavioural sciences, describes where to start if you’d like to develop a […] … learn more→

Five years ago, I began a research project into emotional labour, compassion fatigue and burnout in Alberta’s educational workers. The results from the earliest study suggested a wide scope of emotional and mental distress among teachers, educational assistants, school leaders and support staff. This distress has been documented globally and across Canada, suggesting educator mental and emotional well-being continues to decline […] … learn more→

What’s good for your heart is good for your brain. Just as physical activity helps keep our bodies fit and strong as we age, it also helps maintain our cognitive function – and is even linked with lower dementia risk. Yet beyond the longer term cognitive benefits of physical activity, exercise also seems to give a […] … learn more→

As our population continues to age, more seniors are expressing a desire to remain in the comfort of their own homes rather than transitioning to assisted living facilities or nursing homes. This growing trend, known as aging in place, has sparked significant innovation in healthcare technology, home modification, and support services that enable older adults […] … learn more→

The growing politicisation and rise in misinformation about the use of puberty blockers for gender-affirming healthcare has resulted in bans and restrictions internationally. New Zealand’s government has tasked the Ministry of Health with consulting the public on whether additional safety measures or regulations should be put in place for puberty blockers. I argue it is inappropriate to open a public consultation […] … learn more→

Teachers’ jobs involve more than just teaching the required curriculum. A significant part of their role includes providing emotional support to their students And with many students facing mental health challenges and experiencing trauma, meeting these emotional needs has become increasingly difficult. My research investigates compassion fatigue among Australian teachers. This condition — which involves a reduced ability […] … learn more→

Beliefs are convictions of reality that we accept as true. They provide us with the basic mental scaffolding to understand and engage meaningfully in our world. Beliefs remain fundamental to our behaviour and identity, but are not well understood. Delusions, on the other hand, are fixed, usually false, beliefs that are strongly held, but not […] … learn more→