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Mental health

Mental health
The latest mental health news including well-being, depression, mindfulness and mental health resources.
Yoga instructor Samrat Dasgupta demonstrates Bhramari pranayama – or humming bee breath – at the Prana Yoga studio in Hong Kong. Photo: Edmond So
Wellness

How does humming help you reduce stress? Expert tips on yogic breathing

Humming stimulates the vagus nerve and has other health benefits, and is the base of the yogic breathing technique ‘humming bee breath’.

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Trending in China

Chinese woman with social anxiety feeds 120 stray cats with banquet leftovers

Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Opinion | After Tai Po fire, Hong Kong needs support, compassion – and answers

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Wellness

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.

The best time for a power nap is for 15 to 20 minutes after lunch, between 1pm and 2pm, one expert says. Photo: Shutterstock
Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Letters | Uncovering truth of Tai Po tragedy not at odds with care for survivors

Readers discuss concerns raised about survivors’ psychological well-being, recognising migrant domestic workers’ contribution over the years, and stepping up efforts at disease prevention.

Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Editorial | Mental health support essential for all of society after Tai Po fire tragedy

With time, meaningful comfort and social connections will help frontline survivors and the city as a whole recover and find a path forward.

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Wellness

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

Samantha Waterhouse was not able to capture her own unique curves during pregnancy, so now she helps other mothers-to-be preserve theirs.

Samantha Waterhouse, pictured here in 2021 when she was pregnant with her first child, has set up a bespoke pregnancy sculpture service that transforms a woman’s unique curves into pieces of art using 3D scanning technology. Photo: The Bump Collective
Australia

‘#seeyouwhenim16’: Australia’s social media ban for children takes effect

PM Albanese called the ban, which is being closely watched by other nations considering similar measures, ‘a proud day’ for families.

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Social media

‘A lot of fear’: Australia’s under-16s anxious ahead of social media ban

As blocks begin on TikTok, YouTube and Instagram before the summer holiday, teens worry they will be ‘basically isolated’ from their friends.

Fame and celebrity

Meet Ella Langley, the rising country music star whose song is on Landman

Her song ‘Cowboy Friends’ is on Landman and she shared the stage with Miranda Lambert – but is she dating Farmer Wants a Wife’s John Sansone?

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Ella Langley at the 59th Annual Country Music Association Awards in Nashville. Photo: AP
Hong Kong youth

Opinion | Why Hong Kong’s youth must be key part of city’s mental health support

When young people are involved in designing interventions, those interventions are more culturally relevant, better used and more sustainable.

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The number of students struggling with mental health issues rose 27 per cent between 2023 and 2024. Photo: Elson Li
Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Hong Kong fire aftermath: how victims are dealing with the psychological toll

Psychologists say encouragement from family, friends and colleagues crucial to helping residents even as government steps up mental health support.

Wellness

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.

Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Some Hong Kong fire survivors reluctant to relive horror for judge-led panel

Residents of Wang Fuk Court destroyed in blaze say providing accounts of what happened could be overwhelming.

Firefighters shoot water on the towers of Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po on November 27. Photo: Karma Lo
Wellness

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.

When compared with other low-impact activities like walking or cycling, swimming is a safer exercise for people who struggle with balance, works more muscle groups, and is something you can do all year round, one expert says. Photo: Shutterstock
Singapore

‘Better late than never’: Singapore parents laud curbs on phone use in schools

The city state is among countries that have stepped up measures to curb screen time and tighten social media restrictions for adolescents.

Brazil

Teen mauled to death after climbing into lion enclosure at Brazil zoo

Authorities say 19-year-old Gerson de Melo Machado, who had mental health struggles, scaled a six-metre wall to enter the enclosure.

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Britain

Why social media’s favourite fuel is Oxford University Press’ word of 2025

‘Rage bait’ – online content engineered to provoke – beat out ‘aura farming’ and ‘biohack’ to win the prize, underscoring 2025’s digital division.

A woman angrily gestures at her laptop, highlighting the negativity of social media, where “rage bait” has become widespread. Photo: Shutterstock
Wellness

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.

Switzerland

Swiss right-to-die group founder dies by assisted suicide

Ludwig Minelli, who championed freedom of choice at the end of life, died days before his 93rd birthday.

Wellness

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.

Recent research suggests psilocybin, the psychedelic found in magic mushrooms, could prolong life by improving mental health, reducing oxidative stress and improving DNA repair responses. Photo: Shutterstock
Wellness

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.

Tea Arts, Network, by King Nam, is one of the pieces on show at Aids Concern’s new exhibition “Emanate”, which is taking place at Wyndham Social in Hong Kong’s Central neighbourhood until December 7. Photo: Aids Concern
Singapore

Singapore ‘sharenting’: where does openness end and overexposure begin?

While sharing children’s exam results may serve to document life’s journey, it may also expose them to danger, counsellors say.

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Wellness

How to make 2026 the best year of your life? YouTuber Ali Abdaal has answers

An entrepreneur with 7.6 million followers across social media, Abdaal will share tips on subjects from careers to love at a Hong Kong talk.

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Wellness

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.

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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
Banking & finance

Hongkongers happy with their weight, stressed about finances and jobs: Cigna

Only 36 per cent of respondents in Hong Kong want to lose weight, below the global average of 46 per cent, according to the Cigna survey.

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Two-thirds of Hong Kong respondents in a Cigna survey said they exercised regularly to manage their weight. Photo: Dickson Lee
Asian cinema: Chinese films

Letters | Jackson Yee sets benchmark for young actors with Best Actor win

Readers laud the Chinese actor’s dedication to his craft and warn of a crisis of the mind in the age of AI.

Wellness

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.

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