‘I don’t want what happened to my husband happening to anyone else’: the widow campaigning for gambling law reform

It was only after Annie Ashton’s husband Luke took his own life that she realised he had been gambling in secret – sometimes up to 100 times a day on his phone. She wants urgent changes to the way the betting industry operates

‘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 Anatomy of Anxiety by Ellen Vora review – the physical basis of mental health

A psychiatrist explains how distressing states are often rooted in bodily dysfunction – and what it means when they aren’t

‘For five years, I could barely speak’: the skin health campaigner who overcame bullying for severe acne

At school, Scott McGlynn suffered so much abuse for his spots that he would hide away in classrooms at lunchtime. Now, he is a successful podcaster and encourages people to talk openly about the condition on social media

Hormetic stress: could Hiit, hot saunas, and cold showers be the anxiety-busters we need in difficult times?

A growing body of research indicates that exposing yourself to short bursts of pressure – or hormetic stress – can you help you when things get tough

There are some nights I just don’t sleep, and that’s OK. Instead I go out for a walk

Perhaps the hardest thing about insomnia is how isolating it is, writes Mark Starmach, but walking Sydney’s empty streets bring a kind of peace

Julia Samuel: ‘The princes turned the dial by talking about grief’

In times of tragedy and despair, Julia Samuel is the person to whom the nation turns. A grief counsellor and pioneer of paediatric psychotherapy, she talks about the effects of the pandemic, her friendship with Princess Diana – and helping families to resolve their conflicts

Watch Strictly, eat sauerkraut, win at Monopoly: expert tips for hacking your happy hormones

Can we really harness our brain chemicals to give ourselves a blast of positivity? Researchers share their shortcuts to boosting oxytocin, serotonin and more

Reasons to be cheerful: optimists live longer, says study

Those with a positive attitude to life may lower their anxiety levels by avoiding arguments or not perceiving traffic jams as stressful

10 enchanted gardens: beautiful and quirky spaces

Our pick of truly unique gardens inspired by everything from black holes and poison to kidnap and cats

How to cultivate wellbeing through gardening

Gardening is proven to help mental health and is prescribed by the NHS. The author of a new book about its appeal to the senses says we get as much out of nurturing plants as we put in

Flower power: why blooms are an essential part of any garden

A homegrown bouquet is great for pollinators, a pleasure for people and a green alternative to buying from the cut-flower industry – so don’t forget to include them on your plot

Green planet: how gardening can save the world

From improving mental health and wellbeing to reducing pollution and flooding, plants hold the key to solving many of Earth’s major problems

‘Commercial no-brainer’: why the role of happiness officer is taking off

As UK firms try to reap the benefits of employees who feel cared for, a new job is rising to prominence

Lockdown lifestyles: how has Covid changed lives in the UK?

Nearly two years after the first lockdown was implemented, legal restrictions related to coronavirus are finally being lifted. Here we chart what has changed in people’s lives