If you’ve ever lain awake with your thoughts racing while the rest of the house sleeps, new Australian research suggests the problem may not be willpower or worry, but timing. A study led by the University of South Australia has found that chronic insomnia may be linked to disruptions in the brain’s natural 24-hour rhythm of mental activity, helping explain why some people struggle to mentally “power down” at night. Published in the journal Sleep Medicine, the research is the

A new Skin Age Calculator from Contour Clinics estimates your “true” skin age by analysing everyday lifestyle factors including sun exposure, diet, exercise, alcohol intake, sleep and skincare routines.

Australian pet parents are officially over ugly pet furniture. Millennials and Gen Z, in particular, are demanding pet products that look as good as they feel, with style now ranking just as highly as comfort.

Australia is in the middle of a scorching summer, and while humans can reach for air conditioning and iced coffees, our pets are far more vulnerable when temperatures spike. With extreme heat becoming more frequent, pet owners are being urged to think ahead and kit out their animals with products designed to keep them cool, hydrated and safe. Dr Teagan Lever, Head Vet at Pet Circle , said preparation and awareness can make all the difference. “Supervision and awareness are cr

Why some people bounce back quickly from COVID while others remain unwell for months or even years

Photo: Kampus Production, Pexels There are many times in our lives when we just need to be a supportive friend. When the first of your friends is going through pregnancy, it can be a wave of excitement for us, but we need to remember that we do not fully understand what they’re going through, so it’s worth bearing in mind some of the following things. Offer Thoughtful and Practical Help Browsing for baby things can be overwhelming, but practical gifts go a long way, so if you

For nearly half the country, the big financial goal for 2026 isn’t a house deposit, an investment portfolio or even retirement. It’s a holiday. New research from Money.com.au shows 46 per cent of Australians have listed travel among their top savings priorities for the year ahead, making it the second year in a row that holidays have topped the list. That equates to around 10.2 million people actively putting money aside to get away. The findings suggest that while cost-of-l

Australia’s shopping habits in 2025 were nothing if not contradictory, and that, according to Afterpay, is precisely the point.

Australia may have slipped out of the world’s top 10 happiest nations, but Australian Lamb says the rankings have missed the point.

Monument (Eila Hiltunen, copyright: Kuvasto 2025) . Photo: Pyry Lepistö, Helsinki Partners In a world where cities compete over walkability, wellbeing and liveability, Helsinki has quietly leaned into a different kind of urban advantage: designing happiness with dogs in mind. The Finnish capital, regularly ranked among the happiest cities in the world, has long treated dogs as part of everyday urban life rather than an afterthought. From free public transport to forests, beac

Photo: Katerina Holmes, Pexels When someone you care about hits a big birthday, do you ever feel that the usual restaurant plan just will not cut it? People light up when something unexpected happens, so why not mix it up with something unusual? A small twist can turn a normal day into something they talk about for years. If you want them to feel truly celebrated, why not try an idea that nudges the celebration into new territory? Here are a few ideas to think about: Host A T

In a world saturated with dating apps, romantic checklists and the enduring myth of the soul mate, a new book is asking a quieter but more unsettling question: what if love isn’t something we find at all? Sydney author Mark Worthington’s latest book, The Truth About Love , explores the idea that many of our struggles in relationships, work and life stem from a fundamental misunderstanding of how love actually works. Rather than framing love as chance, chemistry or fate, Worth