Welcome back to Mid-Week Meditations, Lifehacker's weekly dip into the pool of stoic wisdom, and a guide to using its waters to reflect on and improve your life.

Everyone's coming down with something at work and you can't afford to take a sick day. That, or you just don't want to catch it yourself. While there's not much you can do once you fall ill, there are steps you can take to minimise the risk and, hopefully, dodge the bug altogether.

Many of us have experienced the effects of sleep deprivation: feeling tired and cranky, or finding it hard to concentrate. Sleep is more important for our brains than you may realise.

Winter means getting sick for many of us. Whether you're battling an illness or trying to prevent it, here are a few things you can do to get through it like a champ.

Have you ever wondered why the influenza virus is more potent and dangerous than the common cold virus? They’re both viruses, but what makes the influenza worse that it causes more deaths? Let's take a look at the science...

According to recent research, blowing all over a birthday cake puts germs on that birthday cake. Pretty obvious when you think about it. Would you ever say, "Friend, please blow on my sandwich?" That would be gross, wouldn't it?

A tap bought from Aldi by 12,000 Aussie households can contaminate water with up to fifteen times the safe limit for lead, according to reports. The ACCC has warned of the supermarket chain's "Spiral Spring Mixer Tap", urging customers to avoid avoid drinking or cooking with water from it.

Flu shots work, and are a smart way to reduce the chances that you'll end up sick this winter. But that's not the impression you might get if you listen to the rumour mill. Flu shot myths abound, and it's time to put the biggest ones to rest.

The worst food poisoning I ever had was a few days after returning from a weekend getaway with friends. When I finally dragged myself out of the bathroom after 24 hours of hell, an email from one of my besties was waiting for me: "Is everybody else feeling OK? I know our dinner together was a few days ago so I'm sure it's not that, but I just wanted to check."

It's hard to know what to say when a friend is dealing with a really awful illness or loss. And a lot of the things we blurt out may end up sounding more hurtful than we mean them to. That's why we love this series of cards that say what sick and grieving people really want to hear.

When you're not feeling well, your first move might be checking your symptoms with a search engine. A recent study, however, suggests that real doctors are still way more accurate than any symptom checker tools out there.

Dear Lifehacker, According to Metamucil and other high-fibre products, I'm supposed to squeeze out a Number 2 once per day to remain "regular". Personally, I don't go that often and I don't seem to be suffering for it. So here's my question: Is remaining "regular" actually important to my health, or is it just a ploy to sell supplements I don't need?

Imagine this: You’re an elite athlete, and you’ve spent years working towards your shot at Olympic glory. You’ve trained hard, been totally dedicated to your sport and now, here you are in Rio, getting ready for the pinnacle of your sporting career. It’s your time to shine. But suddenly, without warning, you are hit with stomach cramps. It’s not nerves – it’s more intense than that. Vomiting and diarrhoea kick in. Slowly and devastatingly, your chances of success go down the toilet.

iOS: There are few things more nerve-wracking for a parent than a sick or feverish child, and if your doctor tells you to wait it out, that's what you have to do. Luckily, Feevy is a new iPhone app that will help you track your child's temperature and progress, and report back to your doctor if things change.

Dear Lifehacker, After doing my research and crunching the numbers, I've purchased a brand new family car -- a Subaru Forester. One factor I didn't consider is the potential toxicity of the "new car smell". I can't find any recent research in this area, but I wanted to know: Are 2016 cars still susceptible to the same problem? Will the new car harm my infant baby? Am I going into overdrive and worrying about a non-issue? Also, if new car smell is dangerous, how can I reduce or eliminate the risks?

Cold and flu season has arrived for the year, and it's time to go digging through the archives for our best tips on how to combat it. Research shows there's a way you can potentially halve your chances of catching a cold -- though it's not as easy as it sounds.

Several brands of pre-packed lettuce mixes sold at Coles and Woolworths have been recalled following a major salmonella outbreak in Victoria. Affected products include Coles 4 Leaf Mix, Woolworths salad mix, SupaSalad Supamix and Wash N Toss salad mix; all of which are sold in multiple states and territories.

There is a growing demand for fruit and vegetables across the Western world, thanks to increased awareness of their nutritional and health benefits. But we've always been taught they might not be safe to eat straight out of the supermarket, and they have to be washed first. Is this the case? And what might happen if we don't?

Dear Lifehacker, On the weekend it was reported that scores of people contracted food poisoning from a South Sydney bakery. (Story here.) The culprit is believed to have been a Vietnamese-style pork and chicken roll. This isn't the first time these products have caused a health scare: something similar happened in my home town last year. Are all these outbreaks a coincidence, or do I need to start looking for a new healthy lunch option?