The 50 best health and wellness books
The best health books ranked: sleep, nutrition, fitness, longevity and mental wellbeing. A top 50 with short reviews and where to read each one.
Health books are easiest to use when you read them for one goal: better sleep, a healthier diet, more energy or a calmer mind. The list covers sleep, nutrition, exercise, gut health, longevity and mental wellbeing, from authors with medical or scientific training.
These are editorial picks, ranked for readability and lasting appeal, and nobody pays to be on the list. Not sure where to start? Try the book finder and get three picks for your mood.
Top 50 health books, ranked
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Why We Sleep
Unlocking the power of sleep and dreams.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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The Body Keeps the Score
Brain, mind and body in the healing of trauma.
- Thoughtful
- Moving
Where to read
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How Not to Die
Discover the foods scientifically proven to prevent and reverse disease.
- Inspiring
Where to read
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The China Study
The most comprehensive study of nutrition ever conducted.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Outlive
The science and art of longevity.
- Thoughtful
- Inspiring
Where to read
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Breath
The new science of a lost art.
- Thoughtful
- Inspiring
Where to read
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Born to Run
A hidden tribe, superathletes and the greatest race the world has never seen.
- Gripping
- Inspiring
Where to read
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Spark
The revolutionary new science of exercise and the brain.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Lifespan
Why we age and why we don't have to.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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The Obesity Code
Unlocking the secrets of weight loss.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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In Defense of Food
An eater's manifesto.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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The Omnivore's Dilemma
A natural history of four meals.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Eat to Beat Disease
The new science of how your body can heal itself.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Fiber Fueled
The plant-based gut health program.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Glucose Revolution
The life-changing power of balancing your blood sugar.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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The Wisdom of Menopause
Creating physical and emotional health.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom
Creating physical and emotional health and healing.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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The Complete Guide to Fasting
Heal your body through intermittent, alternate-day and extended fasting.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Becoming Supernatural
How common people are doing the uncommon.
- Inspiring
Where to read
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The Miracle Ball Method
Relieve your pain, reshape your body.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Younger Next Year
Live strong, fit and sexy until you're 80 and beyond.
- Inspiring
- Funny
Where to read
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Eat, Move, Sleep
How small choices lead to big changes.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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The Whole30
The 30-day guide to total health and food freedom.
- Inspiring
Where to read
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Grain Brain
The surprising truth about wheat, carbs and sugar.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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The Plant Paradox
The hidden dangers in healthy foods.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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The Wim Hof Method
Activate your full human potential.
- Inspiring
Where to read
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Lost Connections
Uncovering the real causes of depression.
- Thoughtful
- Moving
Where to read
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The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook
A practical guide to overcoming anxiety.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Burn Out
The secret to unlocking the stress cycle.
- Thoughtful
- Inspiring
Where to read
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Come as You Are
The surprising new science that will transform your sex life.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Better Than Before
Mastering the habits of our everyday lives.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Stronger by Science
A guide to strength training.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Starting Strength
Basic barbell training.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Becoming a Supple Leopard
The ultimate guide to resolving pain and preventing injury.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Master Your Metabolism
The 3 diet secrets to naturally balancing your hormones.
- Inspiring
Where to read
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Healing Back Pain
The mind-body connection.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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The Hormone Cure
Reclaim balance, sleep, sex drive and vitality naturally.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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The Blue Zones
Lessons for living longer from the people who've lived the longest.
- Inspiring
- Cozy
Where to read
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Eat Smarter
Use the power of food to reboot your body, brain and life.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Sleep Smarter
21 proven tips to sleep your way to a better body, better health.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Cure
A journey into the science of mind over body.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Mindful Eating
A guide to rediscovering a healthy and joyful relationship with food.
- Thoughtful
- Cozy
Where to read
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The Hungry Brain
Outsmarting the instincts that make us overeat.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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How to Change Your Mind
What the new science of psychedelics teaches us.
- Thoughtful
- Gripping
Where to read
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The Telomere Effect
A revolutionary approach to living younger, healthier, longer.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Why Diets Make Us Fat
The unintended consequences of our obsession with weight loss.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Radical Remission
Surviving cancer against all odds.
- Inspiring
- Moving
Where to read
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Mind Over Medicine
Scientific proof that you can heal yourself.
- Inspiring
- Thoughtful
Where to read
Each link opens that store’s search for the book. Availability and prices vary by store and country. We may earn a commission from some stores, which never changes the ranking.
Types of health & wellness books
Looking for something more specific? These are the main kinds of health & wellness, with the sort of story or subject each one covers.
Sleep
Why we sleep and how to do it better.
Nutrition and diet
What to eat, and why.
Fitness and strength
Training and movement.
Longevity
Living longer and better.
Mental wellbeing
Stress, burnout and depression.
Gut health
The microbiome and digestion.
Want to write and publish your own health & wellness book?
Many readers of this page are also writers. The stores in the lists above are where readers find books, while Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, IngramSpark, Lulu and Draft2Digital are the tools authors use to publish and distribute a book to those stores. You can also publish to Barnes & Noble Press and Google Play Books directly.
Our free KDP calculators help with print cost, royalties and cover size, and our publishing services can take care of setup for you.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best health book to start with?
Why We Sleep, Outlive and In Defense of Food are widely read and practical.
Can these books replace medical advice?
No. They are general information. Talk to a doctor before making major changes, especially if you have a health condition.
Where can I read or buy the best health books?
Each of the 50 books has links to Amazon, Kindle, Barnes & Noble and Google Play Books. Authors who want to publish their own health & wellness book can start with our free guides to Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, Lulu and Draft2Digital.
Not sure what to read next?
Pick a genre and a mood and the book finder will suggest three books to try.