(originally published in The Telegraph Magazine 15th March 2008)
FITNESS Adrenaline primes you for activity, but brisk exercise resets your ‘fight or fight’ reaction back towards a ‘rest and digest’ state, so try to exercise every day for at least 30 minutes. Swimming can prove especially beneficial and swimmers often report the same endorphin ‘high’ that runners do. Added to this is the feeling of weightlessness and the fact that you have to regulate your breathing, which can help to achieve a sense of control over the body. To reduce stress, ensure that you are exercising at a comfortable level. Swimming regularly will result in physical adaptations such as a decreased resting heart rate, weight normalisation and increased lung capacity. This means that your body has a headstart on stress when you have your head in someone’s armpit on the Tube.