Matt Heath
Newstalk ZB Afternoons host
Newstalk ZB Afternoons host
We are your advocate, Aotearoa. Uncovering stories that matter, asking hard-hitting questions of those in power, live-blogging sport events, monitoring the highs and lows of the NZX and providing Premium expert opinion and analysis. Bringing you distinctive, quality journalism and breaking news from across New Zealand and around the world. With specialists working together to create indepth reads, engaging video, and unmissable podcasts.
Check out Matt’s latest content
Matt Heath: My parting message, enjoy things while they are around
COMMENT: This final column is a chance to reflect on the life we get.
Matt Heath: There is power in accepting that you are rubbish
OPINION: There are certain skills that will not line up with you as an entity.
Matt Heath: There is such a thing as an honourable hangover
OPINION: The issue of hangovers in the workplace is a nuanced one.
Matt Heath: Are rats really that bad?
OPINION: As our sworn enemy, they must die - but part of me feels for the little guys.
Matt Heath: I am getting behind ‘Hardcore 24′
OPINION: I am getting behind ‘Hardcore 24’ for these reasons and many more.
Matt Heath: Christmas songs that aren’t really Christmas songs
The sounds of Michael Buble are echoing throughout malls.
Matt Heath: Why do we love Christmas trees so much?
Why do we want dead trees covered in a tinsel rotting in our houses one month a year?
Matt Heath: Why this simple act will relieve your holiday stress
Perform it three times in a row and no amount of annoying family activity will get to you.
Matt Heath: ‘Nothing showers’, who has them?
OPINION: A nothing shower is the opposite of an everything shower.
Matt Heath: What children shouldn’t eat for breakfast
OPINION: Annoyingly, my research is starting to prove my son correct.
Matt Heath: Dad's so proud I made it into the pages of the one and only NZ Herald
OPINION: The Herald turns 160 today - that's 1120 in dog years.
Matt Heath: We crave a post-fright dopamine buzz
OPINION: We enjoy scary experiences for the post-fright high.
Matt Heath: An article on giving up on your summer body
OPINION: To enjoy long-term health and fitness, we need boring, doable, permanent change.
Matt Heath: A great election result? A Chinese proverb says 'maybe yes, maybe no'
Matt Heath on the Rugby World Cup and the election.
Matt Heath: Long-haul flights are nothing to complain about
OPINION: Think about the past to make hanging in the sky more bearable
Matt Heath: I've had to face the fact I'm a mouth-breather
The dangers of a vacant expression.
Matt Heath: Why a wave is still appreciated by drivers
OPINION: Matt Heath on driving etiquette.
Matt Heath: I finally got Covid - why we need a Willie Apiata when we're unwell
OPINION: Matt Heath on how friends respond to you being sick.
Matt Heath: I picked the wrong time to stop lying
Matt Heath decided to stop lying - but picked the worst possible time to do it.
Matt Heath: Is this the most divisive election year?
OPINION: New Zealanders are hating each other more and more in Parliament.
Matt Heath: 'Shame and regret’ - the guilt of not eating mum’s packed lunches
Don't mock mum's packed lunch, writes a shameful Matt Heath.
Come on Kiwis, let’s say what we really think
OPINION: Matt Heath on passive-aggressive behaviour.
Matt Heath: A daily game of cards is a winning hand for parents
OPINION: Matt Heath on spending device-free time with our children.
Matt Heath: Don't worry, be happy
OPINION: Worrying is pointless - lean into the good stuff right in front of you instead.
Stop taking your phone into the bathroom
OPINION: Matt Heath on why being boring can be good for you.
Opinion: Do we live in the most annoying time in history, asks Matt Heath
Opinion: There is an easy fix to live a less annoying life.
Opinion: It’s best to be happy without winning Lotto
Matt Heath on Lotto and the meaning of happiness.
AI puts its mind to writing the 10 commandments
AI, like ChatGPT, won’t destroy humanity, but an Artificial General Intelligence might.
Matt Heath: Quit doom scrolling, get a buzz by paying a compliment
In 2023 people are still wasting their lives thumbing out grievances on social media.
Matt Heath: Do yourself a favour and rewatch the Rocky movies
Opinion: The 'Italian Stallion' flicks still pack a punch to the heart.
Matt Heath: Doing 30 minutes of yoga every day has changed my life
Opinion: It’s easy to start and stops you grunting like a pig...
Matt Heath's instant solution to the inflation ravaged hospo sector
Opinion: No judgment here. I just want the Red Ribbon Roast.
Opinion: How far can you really go on dreams alone?
You have power over how hard you work, but sometimes rewards are not in your control.
Matt Heath: The different types of gift-givers at Christmas
OPINION: There are shocking gift-giving ways that need to be outed.
Opinion: You don’t need a trip to Fiji to live in the moment - but it helps
Matt Heath's take on the importance of mindfulness.
Matt Heath: The pros and cons of wearing speedos
OPINION: Is it okay to for a middle-aged man to wear a tiny Speedo?
Matt Heath: Why not showering isn’t such a stink idea
OPINION: A humorous column from Matt Heath.
Matt Heath: The best Star Wars in a long time
The Death Star was seen hovering over Thames last Tuesday about 8am
Matt Heath: New Zealand’s best hole
OPINION: Naturally formed over millions of years, caves are the most kiwi of hole.
Matt Heath: A hole the whole country can be proud of
Spectacular cave system takes out inaugural title.
Matt Heath: Being nice to retail workers is more important than ever
OPINION: Workers are experiencing increasing levels of abuse, aggression and violence.
Great Minds: Top tips from the best on your mental wellbeing
Listening to the smartest in the game can give you tools to tackle personal struggles.
Great Minds: Our boys and men are struggling mentally
Our happiness editor Matt Heath speaks to social scientist and author Richard Reeves.
Opinion: Matt Heath - is daylight saving rubbish?
OPINION: Should we kick it to the curb or flick the clock forward all year?
Why we have to watch out for boys and men
Happiness Editor Matt Heath talks to social scientist Richard V. Reeves.
Mate - looks like you could use a friend
Matt Heath speaks to Max Dickins about why men suck at maintaining friendships.
Matt Heath: Melancholy and the infinite blandness - and what to do about it
Pandemic, war, crime and politics getting you down? Let the sun shine in.
Matt Heath: Facing my fear of booking holidays
OPINION: Forget relationships, it's committing to holidays that really scares us.
Exercising rural women's right to mental wellbeing
Happiness Editor Matt Heath talks to Kate Ivey.
Matt Heath: Defeating a fear of needles with the help of a monk
Matt Heath has faced down his personal dragon - and been jabbed.
Life is short and the universe doesn't care, so make the most of it
Happiness Editor Matt Heath talks with author Oliver Burkeman.
Matt Heath: It's time to cut the game of chess down to size
OPINION: Get looser with it. It's a board game; for God's sake, it's supposed to be fun.
When big feelings are too much for little bodies
Happiness Editor Matt Heath talks to kids' author Rebekah Ballagh.
Matt Heath: My Nostradamus-style take on the All Blacks
OPINION: All Black supremacy or muppet show?
Taking the plunge on addressing anxiety
Happiness Editor Matt Heath talks to novelist Tim Clare on panic attacks.
Matt Heath: Facing my fear of sharks
OPINION: When you are in the water and can picture a shark, odds are you'll feel uneasy.
Facing fears may lessen their power over you
Happiness Editor Matt Heath talks with Dr Andrea Reinecke about her anxiety treatment.
Matt Heath: Being told I am lazy
OPINION: Why did I get butt-hurt over a comment on how hard I work?
Wellbeing isn't easy with a brain wired for fear
Happiness Editor Matt Heath speaks with Chris Williamson about a wellbeing 'bank account'.
Matt Heath: Why cleaning is a slippery slope
OPINION: Are you a cleaning pest? If so, what if anything, should you do about it?
Think you're ageing fast? Don't stress
Happiness Editor Matt Heath shares part two of his discussion with author Dave Robson.
Your mindset can be key to turning life into happier reality
Happiness Editor Matt Heath talks with award-winning UK science writer Dave Robson.
Matt Heath: Four budget-friendly flat recipes to beat inflation
OPINION: There is one cohort of Kiwis who revel in budget cuisine more than any other.
Life and happiness lessons from Urzila Carlson, Jeremy Wells, and Dai Henwood
Matt Heath looks at wellbeing habits that contribute to success.
Matt Heath: Why sharing a room with your kids isn't a bad idea
OPINION: Is the key to a good night's sleep sharing a room with your kids?
What to do when your inner voice won't shut up
Happiness Editor Matt Heath talks with neuroscientist Ethan Kross.
Matt Heath: Why I want the iPhone 14, and why I don't need it
OPINION: The announcement of an iPhone 14 makes the 13 feel less special.
The false belief that's driving doctors to burn out
Happiness Editor Matt Heath talks with Occupational Physician Dr David Beaumont.
Kieran Read on leading the All Blacks: 'Rugby taught me a lot that I am using now'
Matt Heath discusses post-retirement happiness with the former All Blacks captain.
Matt Health: Tom Cruise back from too weird to worship to top gun
OPINION: Tom is a legend. I love him. As far as I'm concerned the couch never happened.
Kieran Read: 'I feared going into shops and running into people who wanted to talk about the game'
Matt Heath discusses mental wellbeing with the former All Blacks captain.
Matt Heath: Upgrade your friendship with a walk
OPINION: Why do we find it easier asking a buddy out for a beer than a stroll?
Why anxiety is like an addiction - and how to break the habit
Happiness Editor Matt Heath meets psychiatrist and neuroscientist Dr Judson Brewer.
Matt Heath: Bored? Let the games begin...
OPINION: Board games get kids off devices into all-important human interactions.