Whatever you do, DON’T PANIC

As the responsibilities start to bite in your thirties, you’re more vulnerable than ever to anxiety-based mental health problems, such as panic attacks. Use our expertbacked timeline to dial down the intensity

0 TO 3 MINS

WHAT’S HAPPENING

A panic attack occurs when the mind makes a negative interpretation of normal events. When your boss sets you an impossible deadline, for example, your hypothalamus activates your pituitary and adrenal glands, causing stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol to flood into your system: the fight-or-flight response. The result? Shallow breaths, an accelerated heart rate and trembling.

YOUR DEFENCE

A US study found that refocusing the mind on simple tasks can calm you down. The solution can be as mundane as counting the number of tiles on your office ceiling until the panic passes.

3 MINS TO 2 HOURS

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Adrenaline has a half-life of three minutes, so the initial panic soon passes – your breathing normalises and your heart rate falls. Cortisol, however, sticks around for longer. It can take two hours for your more chronic feelings of stress to subside.

YOUR DEFENCE

Take a 10-minute break and divert your attention to what’s around you, even if that’s just your neighbour taking the bins out. Your cortisol levels will fall and you can return to the task at hand on a more even keel.

1 WEEK WHAT’S HAPPENING

Anxiety can easily extend beyond a specific stimulus and its chronic form can leave your hypothalamus in a state of constant agitation. It’ll keep releasing adrenaline and cortisol and, with levels set to surge at any point, the simplest upset can burst the dam.

YOUR DEFENCE

In severe cases, doctors may prescribe you anti-anxiety drugs, along with beta blockers, to steady your heart rate. Omega-3 fatty acids in oily fish can curb adrenal activation caused by stress and there are cortisolslashing B vitamins in legumes, meat and eggs. Plus, a run produces mood-boosting endorphins while using up extra adrenaline.