Health

The best time for a power nap is for 15 to 20 minutes after lunch, between 1pm and 2pm, one expert says. Photo: Shutterstock

How a nap helps you power through the day and why you should set your alarm

An afternoon catnap lasting from 10 to 30 minutes can leave you refreshed and recharged, and even strengthen your mental health over time.

5 hours ago

Love your baby bump? How to get a bespoke pregnancy sculpture in Hong Kong

10 Dec 2025 - 12:15PM

She’d make excuses to skip running club. Now she’s smashed the 6 big marathons

10 Dec 2025 - 3:25PM

Health benefits of mugwort and its role in TCM and Japanese herbal medicine

Mugwort is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory herb with warming properties, used in East Asian traditional medicine and modern spas.

10 Dec 2025 - 10:08AM

A compress with dried mugwort leaves is applied to the head, shoulders and neck during a soothing massage at the Ritz-Carlton in Okinawa, Japan. Photo: ritzcarlton.com

Should you eat more fibre? How much you need and what foods are full of it

Fibre offers benefits from improved digestion to better heart health – but think twice before going all out on ‘fibermaxxing’.

8 Dec 2025 - 12:13PM

How does 71-year-old yoga teacher look so much younger than her age?

From waking up with the sun to having lemon water to start her day, Argie Ligeros shares her secrets for ageing well.

7 Dec 2025 - 12:15PM

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Explainer | On the verge of a breakdown, new mother discovers what stress really is

A battle with cancer, a new baby and an alcoholic husband tested high-flying executive Asha’s ability to cope with stress.

6 Dec 2025 - 7:33AM

Asha plays with her child. The high-flying marketing executive started off knowing all about positive stress, but a battle with cancer, a new baby and an alcoholic husband saw her have to learn new ways to overcome her mental tension. Photo: Asha

Why you should take up swimming after your retirement

Swimming takes pressure off joints, builds muscle strength and cardiovascular health, boosts mental health, and can improve your social life.

5 Dec 2025 - 7:15PM

At 50, she became the first woman to swim around Hong Kong’s Lantau Island

Open water swimmer Edie Hu shares how 10 years of endurance training helped her swim the 65km circumnavigation and set another record.

3 Dec 2025 - 3:35PM

Yellow, brittle, excessive peeling: how your nails give your health away

A nail artist and a doctor share the telltale signs of poor health, from fingertip colour changes to ridges, plus simple tips for nail care.

3 Dec 2025 - 7:15AM

Pale or blue-tinged nails can suggest circulation issues, while yellowing nails, like these pictured, may point to fungal concerns. Photo: Shutterstock

How many steps should you walk for minimum brain health decline?

A new study suggests that walking’s potential benefits in slowing cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s may begin well below 10,000 steps a day.

1 Dec 2025 - 5:15PM

Sports therapist Gill Stewart walks with her dog Bessie. Walking - and physical activity in general - slows the accumulation in the brain of tau, a protein closely tied to the memory decline seen in Alzheimer’s. Photo: Gill Stewart

Could magic mushrooms help us live longer? What Bryan Johnson’s test showed

Johnson’s conclusions after taking magic mushrooms are backed by findings that psychedelics could extend life by rewiring the brain and more.

4 Dec 2025 - 3:47PM

Why this Aids charity’s Hong Kong art show smells of resilience

Aids Concern’s ‘Emanate’ exhibition features art and fragrances created by people affected by HIV and Aids that tell their stories.

29 Nov 2025 - 5:15PM

Explainer | What is MASLD? Most common chronic liver disease affects up to 40% of adults

Previously known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, MASLD is trending upwards as obesity levels rise, but it can affect lean people too.

29 Nov 2025 - 7:49AM

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), formerly known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), is a common liver disease driven by metabolic dysfunction. Photo: Shutterstock

He was once Singapore’s fastest man. Here’s how he lives a happy, healthy life

UK Shyam held Singapore’s 100-metre sprint record for 22 years. Now 49, he shares how he continues to look to improve his health span.

26 Nov 2025 - 11:00AMvideocam

UK Shyam broke Singapore’s 100-metre sprint record in 2001 and held it until 2023. At 49, he continues to sprint “to live independently and remain cognitively healthy” as he ages. Photo: msft.collective

Women who eat lots of ultra-processed food at more risk of precancerous polyps

New research finds that women who regularly eat high amounts of UPFs are at a significantly higher risk of developing an adenoma.

24 Nov 2025 - 7:15PM

Banking & finance

JPMorgan, DBS, Standard Chartered bosses swap deals for sneakers in charity run

Chairmen and CEOs join regulators and financiers in The Community Chest HKEX Gong Run to raise US$1.2 million.

23 Nov 2025 - 12:30PM

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What are the best supplements? Expert advice on what works and what doesn’t

The demand for supplements is high and continues to grow, but it can be hard to know what to take. We asked doctors for their advice.

23 Nov 2025 - 7:15AM

Are supplements worth the hype? Experts weigh in on what is good for your health. Photo: Shutterstock

Why males take more risks and how to promote healthy risk-taking in teens

Experts say factors from evolution to peer pressure lead men and boys to flirt with danger. But some risk-taking is crucial.

22 Nov 2025 - 7:15PM

How to live to 100? Tips from Blue Zone pioneer on how to boost longevity

Learn to cook, give white rice a chance – cookbook author Dan Buettner gives advice based on his research into the longest-living communities.

20 Nov 2025 - 9:15PM

‘Global public action’ needed on ultra-processed foods, warn experts

Experts urge action against aggressive marketing and call for food label warnings on ultra-processed foods as their consumption increases.

20 Nov 2025 - 7:15PM

The rising global consumption of ultra-processed foods must be addressed, according to a series of papers written by global experts. Photo: Shutterstock

He lost over 40kg in 7 months after pandemic food binge led to panic attack

Meir Ben Tovim used food as a coping mechanism during the pandemic and topped the scales at 126kg. Here’s how he’s now at peak fitness.

19 Nov 2025 - 11:03AM

Meir Ben Tovim at 126kg (left) in 2020 and 85kg in June 2021. He describes how he lost 41kg in seven months and now does strength training, running and Hyrox. Photos: Instagram/run_with_me_ir

A new ‘fuel tank’ approach to ageing could cut dementia risk

Intrinsic Capacity focuses on what people can and cannot do as they get older to help them make lifestyle changes to offset weaknesses.

17 Nov 2025 - 3:41PM

How climate change and extreme weather affect mental health

Typhoons, floods, soaring temperatures all take a toll on our mental well-being, but there are small steps we can take to lessen the impact.

16 Nov 2025 - 5:15PM

Explainer | The eyes have it: how EMDR therapy can help treat stress, OCD, anxiety

Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy helps the brain process negative thoughts and memories to reduce their impact.

15 Nov 2025 - 4:15PMvideocam

Pop star Miley Cyrus has sung the praises of EMDR, saying it helped her overcome crippling stage fright and panic attacks that started after the pandemic. Photo: Instagram/mileycyrus

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