You might wonder why you aren’t as happy and fulfilled as you thought would be in midlife. Well, it turns out that midlife is a melting pot of lifestyle and hormonal changes that can affect your mental and physical well-being. Today I talk to Claire and James Davis, The Midlife Mentors, on why in midlife you should be looking forwards to a better quality of life, not backwards. In a wide-ranging interview, we discuss how awareness about your lifestyle followed by small...

Whether you’re completely new to meditation or an experienced practitioner, I’m sure you’ve heard about the benefits of this ancient practice for relaxation and self-awareness. But do you know about the huge boost that meditation can give to your brain? I break down the mood-boosting, stress-reducing, attention-focusing and many biological benefits of meditation for your brain health and mental health. Meditation cultivates a more resilient brain that contributes a greater...

In times of stress, crisis, or trauma, we often ask: what good can come of this? These last few years we’ve been hit by a pandemic that has caused hundreds of thousands of deaths, unprecedented unemployment, and a global economic downturn. In the face of such a tragedy, it might appear that the answer is “Nothing.”

But at some point in the future we’ll be able to reflect on this terrible time and what it has brought for each of us as individuals, communities, and...

Anyone who has ever gone on a run will be familiar with that "runner's high” feeling -  that euphoric sense you get after a jog where you feel on top of the world. And that post-workout good mood isn't just anecdotal: Over the years, scientific research has found that, in addition to physical benefits like living longer, exercise actually does help boost your mood. 

There's nothing like an exercise-induced "endorphin rush”, but  the endorphins only explain a small...

Comedy and mental health don’t seem like natural bedfellows, but there is really good evidence that laughter triggers the release of endorphins  boosting our mood and mental well-being. I talk to comedian and mental health ambassador Juliette Burton about the relationship between comedy and mental health and how she’s using her stand up shows to educate the world about mental health.

We often think that people can only become addicted to drugs and alcohol. But addiction shows up in any behaviour that a person enjoys, finds some relief in, and therefore craves more of in the short term, but suffers negative consequences in the long term, and doesn’t give up this behaviour despite the negative consequences of their actions.

Addiction can be related to any behaviour, not just substances. It could be cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, marijuana, nicotine, alcohol. But could...

We’ve long known that swimming is an excellent cardiovascular exercise that strengthens your heart and circulatory system. But it also really benefits your brain and mental health. It helps the brain to release mood-boosting brain chemicals. repair damage to brain cells and grow brain cells.

Your brain is where your thoughts and emotions live, and a healthy brain contributes greatly to good mental health. Swimming can help lower anxiety and depression. It provides extra benefits for...

Childhood evokes images of innocence, joy, optimism and wonder. It is a time of security and safety, where you are unconditionally protected, nurtured and loved. Having stability in knowing you are safe and having a secure attachment with your family allows you to form healthy and safe relationships later in life.

But, sadly, the reality of many young people’s experiences and the effect on the rest of their lives is in stark contrast to this description of childhood. Many young people...

Day to day ups and downs are are a normal part of adolescence, making it difficult to distinguish between normal teenage moodiness and more serious mental health challenges. Your teen might not always be able to articulate what they’re going through, and they might not want to talk about it to you, but starting the conversation with them will help to protect their mental well-being.

Adolescence is time of enormous change for young people. Their bodies are changing, their...

When a child experiences neglect or abuse early in their life, it has a significantly detrimental effect on their physical, mental and emotional development. Trauma can be a repeating event, a sudden single event or a pattern of interaction between an abuser and child. Severe neglect is the most common form of trauma and has the biggest impact on brain development.

The brains of children who have been abused and neglected develop differently. Even before they are born, many children in care...