Self soothe

If you do one thing this month

Getting a hug just before a nerve-racking event can work wonders for your mind and body. If no one’s around to deliver a squeeze, DIY instead: place one hand over your heart and the other on your stomach, close your eyes and focus on your breathing for at least 20 seconds. As it turns out, this gesture can reduce cortisol levels associated with stress, according to a study in the Comprehensive

Psychoneuroendocrinology journal. ‘Touch communicates a signal of safety,’ says study co-author Dr Aljoscha Dreisörner. It’s a move similar to those done when practising mindfulness or meditation, both of which have been shown to fight anxiety. Handy.