Pick the habit: the best podcasts to get you into a new hobby

Want to learn a language, start gardening, read more, or make running and meditation a habit for the new year? There’s a podcast for that …

Taking my kids out of school has taught me the joy of staying in and doing nothing

I was conditioned to think of going out as morally superior to hibernating. Now I regard the decisive opt-out as a dynamic choice too, says Guardian columnist Emma Brockes

‘A lot fell into place’: the adults who discovered they were autistic – after their child was diagnosed

The recorded incidence of autism has increased 787% in 20 years. For many parents, getting help for an autistic child alerted them to their own traits

Third of new students in England show signs of depression, survey suggests

‘Experimental’ ONS survey of first-years finds 37% have symptoms of depression and 39% of anxiety

Britain’s Covid-era university students may suffer ‘impostor syndrome’

New intake of undergraduates could feel like frauds, says study, because they didn’t sit A-level exams

‘Balance is fulfilling’: how to look after your mental health at uni

From making time for self-care to silencing your inner critic, the experts share their top tips for looking after your mental health at university

The Taliban are not the only threat to Afghanistan. Aid cuts could undo 20 years of progress

The most vulnerable people will bear the cost of sanctions, as services and the economy collapse

‘Sex isn’t difficult any more’: the men who are quitting watching porn

Addiction to pornography has been blamed for erectile dysfunction, relationship issues and depression, yet problematic use is rising. Now therapists and tech companies are offering new solutions

A stunning second act! Meet the people who changed course in midlife – and loved it

It can feel as if our options narrow with every passing year. But taking a big risk could mean the second half of your life is much more exciting and fulfilling than the first

Tories ‘squandering Olympic legacy’ as school PE declines

Sport England reveals that in some regions a third of children are active for less than 30 minutes a day