...Stop worrying
✣ WHY? Prolonged stress or anxiety caused by fight-or-flight hormones cortisol and adrenaline, can lead to headaches, sleep and gut problems, depression and weight gain. ‘When you’re anxious, it’s harder to focus and remember information,’ says Cary Cooper, professor of Organisational Psychology & Health at Manchester University. What’s more, continuously high levels of cortisol may kill off brain cells, leading to memory loss.
✣ NOT TOO LATE Learning healthy ways to manage stress, lowers levels of these harmful hormones.
✣ HOW? Try relaxation and breathing techniques, such as mindfulness, meditation or yoga. Struggle to calm your mind? Try the Headspace app, which has hundreds of tips. Exercise regularly, too, but don’t go ‘hard and fast’, which increases stress hormones. Moderate exercise releases feel-good endorphins. Eating healthily, drinking water and getting eight hours sleep all help. You may even benefit from talking therapies – see your GP for advice.