Dr Xand van Tulleken’s five key tips

Summer’s over, the holidays feel like a distant memory and suddenly the world is back at full speed.

And that back-to-it energy can leave many of us feeling stretched thin.

Stress, in small doses, can help us stay sharp but left unchecked, it can chip away at our health, mood and relationships.

Cortisol, often labelled as the stress hormone has become a bit of a wellness buzzword but it’s worth remembering that it isn’t the enemy – it’s what helps us wake up, stay alert, and handle challenges.

The trick is keeping it in balance, not eliminating it.

Here are five simple, science-backed ways to manage stress and get back in control.

Ironically, worrying about the effects of stress can make it worse.

The more we talk about how much harm stress does, we start to think ‘agh now I’m stressed and I know it’s doing me lots of harm’, so try not to worry about how you’re feeling.

Stress is a normal part of life and is unavoidable especially during major challenges like grief, caring for loved ones, looking after young children or navigating job uncertainties.

Instead of panicking about being stressed, accept that it happens and remind yourself it won’t last forever.

The best way to physically manage stress is to exercise.

Exercise does the same thing to your body as stress does – it raises your heart rate, puts your blood pressure up, makes you breather faster and releases adrenaline and cortisol.

By exercising, your body is learning to manage the cortisol spikes and handle those surges so you’re better equipped to manage life’s bigger stresses.

If you’re getting stressed thinking about what exercise you’re going to do or what gym to join, remember that any form of exercise is great.

It doesn’t have to be anything too time consuming or high pressured – a simple walk, jog or any activity you enjoy will do the trick.

Try and get into bed earlier and wake up at roughly the same time in the morning so your body gets into a routine.

If you find yourself tossing and turning at night and not being able to fall asleep, don’t worry.

Your body can function on less sleep occasionally and over time your natural rhythms will recalibrate.

Managing stress isn’t just about avoiding the negatives, it’s also about actively building yourself up.

Make sure you’re eating well with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole foods and good-quality proteins to fuel your body.

Try and also carve out some quality alone time where you can relax and recharge.

Mindfulness can also help – it’s not about using a meditation app or sitting in silence, it’s about being intentional in how you approach your life.

Take a few minutes to think about the day or week ahead of you, what might be challenging and how you can pace yourself.

For me, it’s about planning ahead with batch cooking as that can relieve some stress in the evening after work.

I get terribly anxious about all kinds of things and everyone worries about money, jobs and families.

Those worries can quickly spiral when kept bottled up so sharing your concerns with someone you trust lightens the load and gives perspective, even if they can’t solve the problem for you.

Sometimes just saying it out loud makes the problem feel more manageable.

Additional reporting by Yasmin Rufo