‘I jumped off the hangover hamster wheel’: midlife drinkers who gave up booze – and got happy

In the UK, those aged 55 to 75 are the heaviest drinkers, with the generation below not far behind. But many are turning their backs on alcohol and discovering surprising benefits

The 99% sober movement: should we keep dry January going all year?

There is no such thing as a safe level of alcohol consumption, according to new guidelines from Canada. What does this mean for moderate drinkers?

Glass too full? Why safe drinking guidelines vary between countries

Belgium suggests 21 drinks a week is safe for men, while Australia recommends no more than 10 for anyone. What goes into the guidelines?

I became the poster girl for sobriety, then returned to big nights on the lash

Sobriety was a lonely place when Jill Stark wrote High Sobriety 10 years ago. Teetotal again, life is much easier in the sober curious age

‘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’