How long is your to-do list? If it’s anything like mine, it’s longer than my phone screen has space to display, and a few scrolls longer. Just thinking about my ever-mounting tasks can make my heartbeat spike, as stress fills my body and mind. Stress has been pegged as a modern-day nemesis, threatening our wellbeing, from physical health to emotional happiness. We all seem to be touched by it in one way or another, from freelancers competing for gigs to CEOs making budget cuts; exam-fatigued students riddled with success anxiety to mothers plagued by sleepless nights.
Research has produced some scary headlines on the dangers of stress, not just on the mind but the body. It’s been linked to chronic illnesses, including depression, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disease and cancer.* It’s therefore no surprise that many of us have adopted and prioritised stress-busting wellness practices in our day-to-day lives.
Luckily, we have Psychologies to provide us with insight, and research to help us alleviate some of the symptoms. As Wellness Director at Psychologies, I’m no stranger to adopting shiny new wellness practices and self-development tools. I breathe in groundbreaking research like air, embrace trends as if they are friends, and love to experiment and learn, all with the aim of having a healthier, happier life. And I reap the benefits, from shinier hair to a better night’s sleep and more enlightened relationships. I was so inspired by the experts I interviewed and worked with, from alternative medicine expert Deepak Chopra to speaker and author Gabrielle Bernstein, that I qualified as a yoga and mindfulness teacher, so I could share stress-busting wellness tools myself.