Lifestyle
Habits, culture, travel, food, and everyday living.
‘Unable to tell morning from afternoon, I felt my sense of time opening up’: a (mostly dark) winter break in magical Swedish Lapland
With just a few short hours of daylight, the usual boundaries marking time fall away in Abisko, one of the most reliable places to see the northern lights Looking over the edge of the snow-smoothed ca
This is how we do it: ‘We don’t have penetration – but it’s by far the best sex I’ve ever had’
Penetrative sex is painful for Nina, but intimacy with Noah is fun, hot and loving • How do you do it? Share the story of your sex life, anonymously The mechanics of how we have sex don’t matter to me
My wife and I are in our late 70s and don’t have any children. Who can help us in our old age? | Ask Annalisa Barbieri
Getting older and losing your autonomy is even harder without family around. You need to consider both the practical and emotional issues involved My wife and I are in our late 70s, and have been marr
The moment I knew: He loved to travel, I had a fear of flying. I expected him to skol his beer and wish me well
On Danni Smith’s first date with Kev, she made a few disclosures and expected him to skol his beer and wish her well – but his response surprised her Find more stories from the moment I knew series In
‘Light therapy without remortgaging the house’: the best LED face masks – tested
They claim to reduce fine lines, blemishes and redness – but which stand up to scrutiny? After consulting dermatologists and putting them to the test, we have crowned a brand new number one • The best
Did you solve it? A magical melody from the Mozart of math
The solution to today’s puzzles Earlier today, I set a puzzle by UCLA professor Terry Tao, who is widely regarded as one of the world’s top mathematicians. Here it is again with solutions. a regular p
Stung with a parking fine for an 18-second airport stop to tackle a wasp
No matter what the cause, airports are ruthless in issuing PCNs if a car stops in a red zone. But there is a get-out clause I had to stop my car for 18 seconds in a red zone at Leeds Bradford airport
‘Wrong’ type of credit card wrecked my Enterprise car hire pickup
Not having the right kind when picking up a vehicle can leave travellers scrambling to find alternative transport If your children are on half-term holiday soon and you are planning to collect a hire
10 exhibitions you won’t want to miss this winter, with National Art Pass
From the Bayeux Tapestry to Kate Moss in bed with pink hair, here are the most exciting exhibitions to see right now – all at 50% off with a National Art Pass, from Art Fund Discover where a National
BT charged me for more than a year despite landline being dead
It is billing £32.99 a month but I have had no functioning phone line since it switched me to Digital Voice I’ve had no landline since May 2025 when BT switched it to Digital Voice. Weeks passed, and
Crossword editor’s desk: why the Independent’s puzzle should live on
An easy win for the newspaper, plus a puzzle with a hidden mathematical theme The Independent has an excellent puzzle made by excellent setters. Since 2016, it has, of course, been online-only. We use
Say goodbye to ‘digital friction’: how AI is transforming IT support
IT issues can be costly for businesses and drive employees to tears – or even to quit. Could a new generation of AI-enhanced support software finally change that? The program that’s always slow to loa
The best mattresses in the UK: sleep better with our 18 rigorously tested picks
From luxury Simba and Otty mattresses to brilliant budget buys, here’s what we recommend – and how to know if you’ve found a good deal • The best mattresses for back pain • The best mattresses for sid
Small Habits That Quietly Improve Your Week
Tiny changes, real difference Big resolutions rarely survive contact with a busy week. These small, low friction habits do: A ten minute tidy before bed so mornings start calm. One screen free meal a