‘Eight hours’ sleep! And you must eat breakfast!’ The truth behind 10 of the biggest health beliefs

Should we really be aiming to walk 10,000 steps a day, or drink two litres of water? Time to sift fact from fiction

‘Alcohol affects every organ’: hangovers and how to survive them

As the party season kicks in, so will the effects of having one too many. Here are the sobering facts behind hangovers and tactics that might help you avoid them

Like the air I breathed, alcohol was unquestioned in my life. I gave it up but still felt pressure to drink

There were raised eyebrows and whispers of pregnancy. People considered my lack of consumption a judgment of theirs

Grandma had just died and I was far from home. Then I had a drink – and the pain vanished

Lonely and heartbroken, I first tasted beer at the age of 14. Decades later, after consuming enough alcohol to fill a petrol tanker, I realised it was time to cut back

Can taking a pill really stop you getting a hangover? There’s one way to find out …

Even at £30 a packet, the Myrkl ‘pre-drinking’ pill sold out before its UK launch. I spent four days finding out if it does indeed reduce the effects of alcohol

‘A massive spiritual shift’: how the mindful movement of qigong can treat addiction

The gentle motion, breathing and meditation stop the mind ‘wandering to negative thoughts’, says a recovering Victorian addict

The Urge by Carl Erik Fisher review – against the war on drugs

A psychiatrist and former addict cautions against conflating drug use with harm in this fascinating historical survey

Most hangover ‘cures’ have little evidence behind them, study finds

Of substances tested, strongest effects were seen for clove extract, though sample size was small

Keep up the pub invites and don’t ‘sober shame’: how to support a friend to stop drinking

There are plenty of ways to make it easier for someone who wants to cut out the booze this October – and beyond

Summer is upon us, the world is opening up – get me to the beer garden

They are the crowning glory of the pub experience, and the British dedication to them is proud-making

Pace yourself and party on! 10 ways to avoid social burnout this summer

Even social butterflies might find themselves a little overwhelmed as everything reopens. Here’s how to ease in gently, keep conversation light and avoid the dreaded ‘hangxiety’

Sore head? 10 easy, comforting dishes to banish a hangover – chosen by chefs

Pubs have reopened in England this week. If the excitement has got too much, here are cooks’ tips for the morning after, from mac and cheese to spicy chorizo eggs

‘The ketamine blew my mind’: can psychedelics cure addiction and depression?

This week sees the opening of the first UK high-street clinic offering psychedelic-assisted therapy. Could popping psilocybin be the future of mental healthcare?

‘I feel so good I may never drink again!’ Readers on their success – or failure – during dry January

Readers explain whether they looked, felt and slept better – or if they turned back to alcohol to cheer up a miserable month

Tim Dowling: I missed the dry January deadline. Wine it is, then

‘I noticed you’ve just decided to press on,’ says my wife. ‘I’ll probably give up for February instead,’ I say. ‘It’s shorter.’