MARRIAGE GAVE ME THE MIDLIFE BLUES

Henry Deedes Real age: 40. Spirit age: 28.

MY SPIRIT age — 28 — is the age I got married. That’s not a dig at my ex-wife, we had many wonderful times. Still do. But I feel younger now than I did then.

Midlife complacency set in prematurely after marrying. The burden of responsibility meant I neglected myself.

Week nights covering the canapeand-Krug party circuit had left my skin sallow, my belly blubberous. Home life was often a whir of bills and builders as I tottered under the weight of a mortgage bigger than the Brexit divorce fee.

These days, I eat better, drink less and am mildly more solvent. Frequent exercise means I can wear T-shirts again without feeling like a lager-tummied extra from Benidorm. That feeling of youthful spontaneity is wonderful. I have a sense of adventure again.

Every now and again I get a quick reality check. Hangovers get harder. Hair gets greyer. And yesterday I ordered a hip support from Amazon to wear in the gym — but let’s not dwell on that.