4 d. ago I tried everything to get better sleep. These five items actually helped

I tested popular apps, earplugs and a speaker for under a pillow to uncover the secret to getting the elusive rest I needThe best sleep masks in the US: I spent six weeks testing 24 masks, and these are my favoritesSign up for the Filter US newsletter, your weekly guide to buying fewer, better thingsI’ve struggled with a lack of sleep and its after-effects for years. Besides a chronic pain condition that interferes with my sleep schedule, my sensitivity to sound and light means that it doesn’t take much to snap me out of slumber after I get there. At least I’m in good company: according to the National Institutes of Health, more than 50 million Americans struggle with such sleep disorders.After trying almost everything, I finally turned to tech about a year ago. I had skeptically dismissed these sleep-focused devices as snake oil – and some are – but a few have been genuinely helpful. From simple noise-canceling earplugs to a headband that literally interferes with your brain waves,...

Politics

6 d. ago Carol Vorderman reveals huge lifestyle change after chronic illness left her 'crying in pain'

Pride of Britain Award presenter Carol Vorderman has opened up about suffering with 'chronic pain' over the last year - and how her lifestyle has completely changed as a result

Politics

6 d. ago Carol Vorderman says 'I was crying in pain' after suffering 'chronic' condition for months

Carol Vorderman has opened up about her health struggles

Politics

7 d. ago The menopause side effect millions of women experience but don't talk about... 'massive system failing'

Women bracing for menopause know to prepare for the hot flashes, mood swings and brain fog, but another side effect of 'the change' occurs outside of the body - and it is rarely spoken about.

Events

7 d. ago Botox injections could help pain relief for Ukrainian war amputees

Botox, the brand name for the injectable drug, can also be used to treat migraines and treat chronic pain

Events

1 week ago Major study identifies the best types of exercises for managing crippling knee pain

For people who suffer from chronic knee pain, aerobic exercises such as walking, cycling and swimming could be the best for relieving pain and boosting quality of life, new research has suggested.

Politics

2 w. ago Former Premier League star, 45, 'could die at any time': After three kidney transplants and a £4m pay

An ex-Premier League star says he could die at any time after painkillers prescribed by his old club ruined his health following an undiagnosed condition. 

Economics

2 w. ago Doctors warned over pairing antidepressants with a commonly prescribed painkiller due to seizure risk

US scientists, who analysed the health records of more than 70,100 nursing home residents, found a 'modest but measurable increase in the risk of seizures'.

Events

2 w. ago Mixing antidepressants with painkiller prescribed to millions could raise risk of disturbing seizures, research sugests

US scientists, who analysed the health records of more than 70,100 nursing home residents, found a 'modest but measurable increase in the risk of seizures'.

Events

2 w. ago Painkiller prescribed to millions 'not that effective' for chronic pain

Doctors have previously warned that patients waiting months for NHS operations are taking the painkiller for dangerously long periods and finding themselves hooked.

Events

2 w. ago Popular opioid painkiller prescribed to tens of thousands every year 'not that effective' for easing chronic pain, scientists discover

Doctors have previously warned that patients waiting months for NHS operations are taking the painkiller for dangerously long periods and finding themselves hooked.

Events

3 w. ago NHS warns people who take sertraline to 'call 999' for this symptom

Sertraline is one of the most prescribed antidepressants in the UK, with around two million people taking it each year. But there are some side effects that may require a 999 call

Events

3 w. ago The best mattresses for back pain – and how to choose one, according to osteopaths and sleep scientists

Is a firm orthopaedic mattress best for your back? How soft is too soft? We ask the experts• The best mattresses in 2025, testedBritish backs are in crisis. Almost a million people in the UK are too sick to work because of back and neck problems, according to official figures, while the charity Versus Arthritis says 5.8 million experience “severe” back pain each year. The causes of back problems are complex, and treatments often fail to bring relief, especially where the pain is chronic and debilitating.Long-term back pain is unlikely to be cured by upgrading your mattress, and a doctor or physiotherapist should be your first port of call if pain is affecting your quality of life. But studies suggest that switching to the best mattress for your body type and sleeping position can genuinely help. I’m lucky to not experience chronic pain, but in years of testing mattresses, I’ve often suffered temporary backache after sleeping on a surface that doesn’t suit me. Switching to a more app...

Politics

3 w. ago U.N. food agency to suspend food aid for 750,000 people in Somalia next month

The U.N. food agency has announced cuts to food assistance for hundreds of thousands in Somalia, where millions face the devastating effects of climate change and severe hunger

Politics

3 w. ago Painkiller prescribed to millions in UK tied to possible 'serious complications' risk

In November, scientists said paracetamol 'may not be as safe as perceived' for certain people

Events

4 w. ago ‘I am quite tough’: Schindler’s List star Embeth Davidtz on her explosive film about Rhodesia’s final days

After starring in Mad Men, Californication, Spider-Man and Junebug, Davidtz soured on acting. Now she’s directed – and starred in – a powerful debut filmBorn in the US, raised in apartheid-era South Africa, a reluctant star in her 20s following her big break in Schindler’s List, and now a first-time director at the age of 60, Embeth Davidtz knows what it means to be an outsider. “I’ve always had the feeling,” she says, “that I don’t quite belong.”Normally found in Los Angeles – where she lives in a house once owned by Julie Andrews, with her husband, the entertainment lawyer Jason Sloane – Davidtz is today in Cape Town for work and family commitments. Speaking by video call from a cream-and-beige bedroom, wearing a white top and glasses with peach-coloured frames, her brunette hair tied back, she looks the picture of serenity. The effect is completed by her voice, which soothed millions of children when she starred as the perfect teacher, Miss Honey, in the 1996 film of Roald Dahl’s...

Events