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Evidence-based articles on sleep, nutrition, skin aging, cognitive health, and the science of living longer, better.
Stress & Mental Wellbeing
34 articlesStress & Mental Wellbeing
How the Stress Response Works: Cortisol, Adrenaline and the Body's Alarm System
Adrenaline fires in seconds; cortisol peaks 20-40 minutes later. How the body's alarm system works, what makes it fire hardest, and why recovery matters more than avoiding stress.
Stress & Mental Wellbeing
Allostatic Load: How Stress Adds Up in the Body
When the stress system is pushed too often or too long, the wear and tear adds up. High allostatic load is linked to 22% higher all-cause and 31% higher cardiovascular mortality. What it is and how it's measured.
Stress & Mental Wellbeing
The Cortisol Rhythm and Health: Why the Shape of Your Day Matters
Cortisol should surge after waking and fall steeply through the day. A flatter daily curve is linked to poorer health and, in one large study, 30% higher mortality. What shapes the rhythm and how to support it.
Stress & Mental Wellbeing
Chronic Stress and Heart Disease: How the Mind Affects the Heart
Constant stress was linked to about twice the odds of a heart attack in a 52-country study, and brain scans suggest a pathway from stress to arterial inflammation. But smoking and abdominal fat matter more.
Stress & Mental Wellbeing
Burnout: What It Is, How It Differs From Depression, and What Helps
Burnout is exhaustion, cynicism and reduced effectiveness from unmanaged work stress. It predicts diabetes, heart disease and depression, but both personal and workplace changes can reduce it.
Stress & Mental Wellbeing
Stress, Cortisol and Belly Fat: What the Evidence Actually Shows
Cortisol favours fat storage around the abdomen, and stress is linked to a growing waist. But everyday effects are modest, and much of the link runs through eating, sleep and activity.
Stress & Mental Wellbeing
Adrenal Fatigue: Why It Isn't a Real Diagnosis, and What Might Be Causing Your Tiredness
A review of 58 studies found no evidence adrenal fatigue exists, and "adrenal support" supplements tested all contained thyroid hormone. The tiredness is real, and usually has a treatable cause.
Stress & Mental Wellbeing
Adaptogens: What the Evidence Shows for Ashwagandha and Rhodiola
Ashwagandha modestly reduced stress and anxiety in 12 small trials, but certainty is low and rare liver injury is reported. Rhodiola's evidence for fatigue is weaker still.
Stress & Mental Wellbeing
Stress-Reduction Techniques That Work: A Practical, Evidence-Based Guide
Physical activity, CBT-based skills, mindfulness, slow breathing and time in nature all have real evidence. The best approach combines a quick tool, a daily habit and changes to the sources of stress.
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