New Here? Read This

A reference library is easiest to use when you arrive with a question. This page sorts our entries by the situations readers most often bring with them. Find the one that sounds like you and follow the short trail of links. You can always come back and choose another.

You spend most of the day at a screen

Gritty eyes and a heavy forehead by late afternoon are common complaints among office workers and students. Begin with How to Reduce Eye Strain From Screens, which covers desk set-up, pauses and when an eye test is due. Then read How to Clean Glasses Without Scratching the Lenses, because smudged lenses make tired eyes work even harder. The whole shelf is under Eye Care.

You have just bought a blood pressure monitor

A new device comes with a leaflet, but technique is what makes the numbers useful. Our guide on taking your blood pressure at home walks through posture, cuff fit and keeping a log for your GP. It also explains why two calm readings beat one rushed one. For the wider picture, browse Heart & Circulation.

Your dentist mentioned fluoride, early decay or sore gums

Start with What Is a Fluoride Treatment, and Who Needs One? for what happens in the chair and who is usually offered it. If your gums are the worry, How to Stop Bleeding Gums When You Brush explains a gentler routine. If a tooth has already been lost, our comparison of implants and bridges sets out the main choices to discuss with your dental team. Everything on the subject is gathered in Teeth & Gums.

You smoke and are thinking about alternatives

These entries are for adults who already smoke. Read why more people are choosing reusable vapes and then how UK rules are changing disposable vapes. A local stop-smoking service or pharmacist can help you decide what suits you.

You are curious about clinic technology

If you have noticed new screens in a hospital corridor or been offered a vascular scan, try real-time updates on hospital displays and LD technology in vascular screening. Both explain the equipment from the patient's side of the room.

You want steadier everyday habits

Sleep, body measurements and supplements are the backbone of the Healthy Living shelf. Good first reads are the chemistry behind sleep and What is the BMI?.

Before any of these

Please spend two minutes on Health Content Limits. It explains what general reading can do for you and when to put the library aside and speak to a professional instead.