The Decibel

There are few more important habits for human health than the hours we spend asleep every night. Research shows sleep – or lack of it – affects everything from our physical and mental health, decision making and ability to fight illness. Despite this, at least one in four Canadians say they’re unhappy with the quality of their sleep.

Dr. Rébecca Robillard, neuropsychologist at the University of Ottawa and Co-Chair of the Canadian Sleep Research Consortium, goes deep on the science of sleep and why it’s vital for cognition and brain health.

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Aspen, Colorado is a picturesque mountain town often called a snowy “playground for the rich”. Real estate is also one of the most expensive in the United States, and for the teachers that live there, that means they’ve been priced out. Now, the local high school is trying to solve that problem with student-built tiny homes for their teachers.

The Globe’s international correspondent, Nathan VanderKlippe recently spent time in Aspen to find out about this makeshift solution to the affordability crisis, the other cities doing similar projects and what this all says about the effects housing has on our social structures.

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For most workers in Canada, there’s a chunk of money deducted from each paycheck that goes toward the Canada Pension Plan. It happens whether you want it to or not. That’s because the CPP was set up to force people to save for their retirement. Canadians become eligible to receive a monthly payment when they reach the age of 60. However, many factors determine how much money an individual will get.

Brenda Bouw, a reporter for Globe Advisor, explains how CPP works, what determines how much you get and the debate around what’s the right age to claim it.

To visit The Globe’s CPP calculator, click here.

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The number of single parents in Canada has been steadily growing since the 1970s. Today, one in five children grow up in single-parent homes. However, the increasing cost of living and lack of sufficient financial support is pushing many of these families towards poverty.

Dave McGinn, a reporter for the Globe and Mail, dives into the additional struggles that single parents face and explains how Canada’s policies to help families fall short.

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The federal price on carbon is set to increase on April 1. This tax is being criticized by many provinces including Saskatchewan. At the end of last year, Premier Scott Moe announced that the province will stop collecting a carbon levy on home heating bills. Then, earlier this year, he said that the province wouldn’t pay part of its carbon bill to the Canada Revenue Agency. Ottawa says this is against the law.

The Globe and Mail’s Alberta and energy reporter Kelly Cryderman explains why Saskatchewan made that decision and how the political debate on the carbon tax got so fraught.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin is one of the longest serving leaders of the country, on track to surpass the rule of Joseph Stalin. Over the years, Putin has cracked down on opposition, as seen with Alexey Navalny and many others before him, to the extent that there is little opposition left in Russia.

Mark MacKinnon, The Globe’s senior international correspondent, has been speaking with members of the Russian opposition movement, both in prison and in exile. Today, he tells us their fates, how they’re making sense of this moment, and what it means for the future of Russia that Putin has such a firm grip on power.

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The man who murdered the parents of a former NHL goalie was recently granted full parole. In 2022, a ruling by the Supreme Court struck down the punishment of life without parole for multiple murders. This case has raised questions about what rules and parameters are in place for convicted killers and the potential threat they pose to society.

The Globe and Mail’s justice writer Sean Fine explains the details of the case, the mechanism of the parole system and what it can mean for future criminal cases.

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Private debt funds are one of the hottest commodities in the world of investing. High rates of return and low management fees made them popular among investors. However, some recent redemption freezes and the allegations against Bridging Finance Inc. have put these funds under scrutiny.

The Globe and Mail’s finance reporter and columnist Tim Kiladze, explains what these private debt funds are, how they operate and why some investors are reconsidering their big bets.

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Canada went through its most destructive wildfire season in 2023. Wildfire services rely on data, forestry photography and mapping as a way to proactively control forest fires. However, a recent study in B.C. has found that the data being used is inaccurate and insufficient.

Jen Baron, lead author of the study and PhD candidate at UBC’s Department of Conservation and Forestry, explains the inaccuracies in the data, the problems it creates and the ways it could be improved.

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Millennial women are feeling burnt out.

The responsibilities and pressures of family, work and caregiving are piling up, amidst the lingering fallout of the pandemic and the economic crisis. But what makes this generation’s burnout unique to generations before it?

The Globe and Mail’s demographics reporter Ann Hui, explains her own experience with burnout, the reasons why millennial women are feeling it more and how it can be made better.

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