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Stress.

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The World Health Organization
has declared it

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the health epidemic of
the 21st century.

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Last year, it accounted for nearly
half of all sick days.

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The rush-hour is very stressful.

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Families, children...

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Work, relationships...

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Well, I'm losing my hair!

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Life is a constant battle with
traffic jams,

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trying to find parking spaces,
losing keys, crowded trains, delays,

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juggling work and family, as well as
trying to make ends meet.

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In our busy 24/7 connected world,
there is plenty to stress us out.

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In this programme,

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we're going to find out exactly
what presses our stress buttons.

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What's going on?
You can't come out like that.

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Are you going to handle it? No way!

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And what we can do to help
manage our levels of stress.

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It is very good if you are
feeling quite anxious. Mm.

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'I want to reveal the very latest
scientific research on stress...'

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That is incredible, the differences
is stark. Yes.

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'..I'll be putting myself on the
front line to show you how stress

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'affects our bodies
and our brains...'

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42 divided by 5.

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I can't remember what you've said.

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'..and I will be finding out if a
very stressful chapter in my life

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'has permanently damaged my health.'

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I would like to say I'm looking
forward to getting the results,

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but I'm really not.

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But what if the right
kind of stress

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could actually be good for us?

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I'm going to show you how to turn
stress into your secret weapon.

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Stress can be seen as something
very positive and drive success.

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You're faking it till you make it
so, Fiona, say, "I feel excited."

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I feel excited!

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I want to find out
the truth about stress.

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There is a silent plague we all need
to guard against.

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It is linked to a number of serious
health issues - anxiety, depression,

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cancer, and heart problems, costing
the economy billions of pounds.

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It's something we all suffer from -

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it's stress.

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According to the latest surveys,

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almost half of us feel
we're too stressed.

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And I am definitely
one of those people.

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Yes, as rosy as my life might seem
to others,

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I suffer from trying to
do too much in too little time.

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And when I check the news, there's
more stress - war, famine,

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and political instability, events
completely out of my control.

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And then I get these horrible
stress feelings.

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You know the sort of thing -

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churning butterflies
in your stomach,

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racing heart,
sometimes sleepless nights,

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which makes us feel
even more out of control.

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And I'm not alone.

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One study suggests
that millions of us

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regularly feel close
to breaking point.

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So why do we have all this stress
and where does it come from?

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To discover the origins of stress,

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I've come to this zoo
near Birmingham

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to get up close and
personal with our primal past.

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I'm being joined by three
stressed out volunteers.

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Steve, a busy courier,

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Paulette, a single working mum,

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and Andy, a self-employed plumber.

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We're meeting stress expert
Professor Anna Whittaker,

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who's going to demonstrate exactly
what stress is.

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Hi. Hi, Anna. How are you?
Yeah, not bad, thanks.

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Now, you're our stress expert. Yeah.

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And I see you're accompanied by
some strange-looking thing there.

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Yes. What is that?

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The vest is our body rig and it
picks up, through sensors,

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your heart rate and also body
temperature and breathing rate.

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And we can see all of that because
it connects to the computer
and we can see what's happening.

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OK, so we need to get the
bodysuits on, don't we? Mm-hm.

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We're going to have an
animal encounter.

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That's going to be the stress,
so we have snakes and tarantulas.

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Hm.

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That goes through there.

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Anna is using the body rig to
measure to the split-second

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exactly what happens when our
volunteers are stressed

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in the most primitive way -

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by being introduced to some of the
zoo's most dangerous residents.

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Oh, my God.

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Their bodies have an
immediate physical response.

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The heart rate starts spiking.

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OK, that was quite
a big response there, Steve.

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The breathing rate increases
and the body temperature rises,

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all signs of acute stress.

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Are you going to handle it? No way.

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If it moves, I won't be able to,
honestly.

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And we really physically heard
your breath quickening, actually.

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'This acute reaction lasts for just
a matter of seconds.'

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Oh! It's all right.

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Stay nice and still. Here you go.

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'Once our volunteers realise
the threat has passed,

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'their bodies start to
return to normal.'

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You might feel your heart racing
and feel really anxious,

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but actually your body is doing
what it's built to do.

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So, why does all of this happen?

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Well, acute stress is actually our
body's primal emergency reaction,

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otherwise known as fight or flight,

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and it evolved for good reason -
to save our lives.

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It harks back to the days when
we lived in caves

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and got stalked by predators.

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ROARING

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When we sense danger,
the fear centre of the brain,

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the amygdala, senses a distress
message to the control centre,

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which in turn tells the
adrenal glands to start pumping

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stress hormones into
the bloodstream.

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This makes our heart beat faster,

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pumping blood to the muscles and
increasing our breathing

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to get extra oxygen into the brain
to sharpen our senses.

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This primal response happens
so quickly that before our brain

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has even seen the threat,

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the body is primed,
ready to fight or run away.

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Our ancient stress mechanism
can give us superhuman powers -

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to be faster and stronger
and surprise us

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with what we're capable
of achieving.

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So, stress is one of the most
extraordinary and vital

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survival mechanisms we possess.

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In fact, without it,
we probably wouldn't be here.

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The thing is that
in the modern world,

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we no longer face the occasional
threat of a wild animal.

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Instead, we're constantly bombarded
by a host of triggers.

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None of them life-threatening,

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but all launching the same
stress response.

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We've asked our volunteers
to use the body rig

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so we can track their typical day.

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The onboard camera is synchronised
with the rig to record every moment,

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so we can see exactly what is
causing them to spike.

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Courier Steve is
driven by deadlines.

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At 7.30, his heart rate
is already spiking.

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I might go to London,
I might go to Glasgow, Edinburgh.

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He can spend up to 12 hours
a day stuck in his van.

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Most of these jobs are time
sensitive, so that generates stress.

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The body rig records a heart rate
rise as Steve gets stuck in traffic.

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Well, I've now gone down to
ten miles a bleedin' hour.

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This sort of stress can lead to
spiking blood sugar levels

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and higher cholesterol.

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Where does he think he's going?

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What's going on here?
Look, you can't come out like that.

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It's 11.55, another spike as his
technology lets him down.

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Hello, have you any idea where
this place is? Hold on.

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Oh! What's happened to this?!

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Yes? Are you getting ready?

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It's 7.50 in the morning
and single mum Paulette

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is already under pressure.

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I left £5 somewhere, son,

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but I don't know what's happened
to it. I'm always losing stuff.

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Paulette enjoys her job,

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but it comes with demanding patients
and lots of paperwork.

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It's a busy GP practice. Some days,
you can't sit down for five minutes.

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But it's money worries that really
make her feel stressed.

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I hate looking at my bank account.

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Trying to make ends meet,
it's a struggle.

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Finances are a cause for
concern for many of us,

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which, over time, can lead to
anxiety and depression.

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Life isn't any calmer
for our final volunteer, Andy.

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He's a self-employed plumber
and father of four kids.

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With this trade, you're only ever
as good as your last job,

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so I can do brilliantly on one job

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and struggle on another
and it is stressful.

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It is 8.33 and
his day starts off badly.

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BLEEP. Flat tyre. BLEEP hell.

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Already, his stress hormones
are pumping.

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Come on!

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Like many of us, Andy's mobile
is a blessing and a curse.

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Oh! Hello?

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Hello?

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All right, mate.

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With each call,
his heart rate spikes.

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As soon as the phone starts ringing,
you stop what you're doing

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and you're on the phone, because you
can't do two things at once.

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His jobs are overrunning.

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BLEEP.

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HE GROANS
Right.

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There were some instructions with
that sink, wasn't there?

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Because this is like a Meccano set,
that is.

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And it's another late night, leaving
less time to see his family.

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So, how did our volunteers get on?

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The data from the body rig
showed both Paulette and Steve

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having multiple and very familiar
stress triggers -

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time management issues,

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financial fears,
workplace worries.

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A minute to spare. One minute.

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But it was plumber Andy
who displayed

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the highest levels of stress.

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HE GROANS
BLEEP shoulder, man.

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Including his moments of
physical exertion,

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he was stressed for
a massive 44% of the day.

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With our bodies experiencing
so many stress triggers

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throughout an average day,

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what sort of effect can
this have on our brains?

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To find out, I've been invited
back to school

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to be put on the spot
in a very public way.

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Hi, Fiona. Hello. How are you?
All right at the moment, thank you.

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We're going to give you
a maths test today to see

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how your brain copes under pressure.
Thank you.

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So I'm going to give you some
questions and I'm going to

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give you three seconds...
Three seconds?!

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Three seconds to answer them.

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But no paper to do my sums or
anything? No paper, no pen.

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Number one, 12 x 6 - 18

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Hang on.

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15... 54. ..¸ 3 + 11

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Oh, my brain's going, bleurgh!
That's easy as well.

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14 - 8 x 12

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72

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'Flooded with stress hormones,
I lose the ability to focus.'

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47 - 3...
My brain's going!

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..¸ by 4.
I didn't even hear that.

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I'm completely...
Go to the next one.

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28 + 42 ¸ 5

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I've lost... I can't remember what
you've said, I can't even...

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My brain's really...

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95 - 35...

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..x 3. 180.

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Oh, dear! I am really good at
mental arithmetic, I promise you!

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If I'd have done it under
a different situation,

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it would've been brilliant, but, no,
actually my brain just froze.

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It seems there's a mismatch
between the way we're programmed

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to deal with stress -
to run or to fight -

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and the kinds of stress
we face in our modern lives.

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Small amounts of acute stress
keep our bodies

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in a super-alert state to deal
with whatever life throws at us.

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But too much stress means the
rational part of our brain

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is hijacked by the primal part and
our ability to think clearly

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becomes overwhelmed by our
emotional response.

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This means that we can lose control,

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triggering an emotional outburst
or a complete meltdown.

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You know, like most people,
I wouldn't tend to put myself

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in a situation that would make
me panicky or stressed.

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I think we tend to fear stress and
maybe start avoiding situations

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that might make us feel stressed,

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like job interviews
or public speaking.

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So is there a way of changing
the way we deal with our stress

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so this sort of response doesn't
happen and we feel more in control?

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I've come to this activity centre
in Thetford

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to meet Professor Ian Robertson,

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a neuroscientist and
clinical psychologist

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who's been studying the brain
for over 40 years.

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You must be Ian. Fiona. Fiona.

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Nice to meet you, I think.
Nice to meet you. Yeah.

243
00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:23,120
I hear you've got something
rather nasty up your sleeve.

244
00:14:23,120 --> 00:14:26,000
I'm going to get you a bit
anxious and a bit stressed,

245
00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:29,520
cos you see that zip line there?
Yeah.

246
00:14:29,520 --> 00:14:32,680
You're going to be coming down that.
Oh, no. How does it make you feel?

247
00:14:32,680 --> 00:14:36,120
That's literally just made
my stomach lurch. Yeah?

248
00:14:36,120 --> 00:14:39,080
Are you a bit nervous?
Yeah, I can feel my heart going.
The heart's going.

249
00:14:39,080 --> 00:14:43,920
Yeah, it was that zip wire word that
did it. Yeah, yeah. It's very high,
30 metres.

250
00:14:43,920 --> 00:14:48,400
Thank you, Ian(!) Yeah. So have you
got ways of me coping with this?

251
00:14:48,400 --> 00:14:50,960
I've got a way you can do this,
that you can master this.

252
00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:55,320
So will we go up? If we have to,
if we have to. Let's do it.

253
00:14:57,400 --> 00:14:59,280
Right. If you hold on to here. OK.

254
00:14:59,280 --> 00:15:01,200
Are you sure this is going
to keep me in?

255
00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:03,040
This is going to keep you
nice and safe.

256
00:15:03,040 --> 00:15:07,120
'The technique that Ian wants me to
try is based on the idea of being

257
00:15:07,120 --> 00:15:11,720
'able to change my perception of the
threat from negative to positive.'

258
00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:15,520
I don't understand how people pay
to do this, I really don't.

259
00:15:15,520 --> 00:15:18,960
I just think if you've got
a nice life, why ruin it?

260
00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:24,400
All right, you're good to go. So,
Fiona... What do you want? Fiona.

261
00:15:24,400 --> 00:15:26,120
Look at you now.
Yes, look at me now.

262
00:15:26,120 --> 00:15:27,840
You're going to be
hanging from this.

263
00:15:27,840 --> 00:15:30,120
Thank you!
THEY LAUGH

264
00:15:30,120 --> 00:15:35,720
OK, beating heart, twisting stomach,
dry mouth, sweaty skin -

265
00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:40,000
what are these symptoms of? Stress,
I guess. No. Acute stress. No. No?

266
00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:45,120
They're also symptoms of excitement.
Are they? Of excitement.

267
00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:50,760
Our emotions, excitement,
anxiety, anger,

268
00:15:50,760 --> 00:15:57,120
they're all the same bodily
symptoms, so you can perform magic.

269
00:15:57,120 --> 00:16:02,680
You can change these from one
emotion. OK, from anxiety...

270
00:16:02,680 --> 00:16:05,400
Into excitement.

271
00:16:05,400 --> 00:16:11,680
OK. Just by writing that little line
of code in your mind, saying...

272
00:16:11,680 --> 00:16:15,680
So stand up straight.
Power pose, the Superman pose. OK.

273
00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:21,680
And say, "I feel excited." But I
don't, Ian. OK. Tell yourself...

274
00:16:21,680 --> 00:16:27,680
I feel excited. OK? Yeah, I feel
excited. You do. You do.

275
00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:28,800
I really feel excited.

276
00:16:28,800 --> 00:16:31,400
When you stand up straight
like that, you're faking it

277
00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:36,040
till you make it, you're tricking
your brain into creating

278
00:16:36,040 --> 00:16:40,560
a different emotion. OK. So, "I feel
excited." Say it once more.

279
00:16:40,560 --> 00:16:45,880
I feel excited. Great! You're going
to go up there. Head for it.

280
00:16:45,880 --> 00:16:47,880
OK. Oh, God!

281
00:16:50,160 --> 00:16:54,400
STEPS CREAK
Even this bit, I really don't like.
Oh, my God.

282
00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:57,000
'Ian's method relies on the fact

283
00:16:57,000 --> 00:16:59,280
'that as far as our body
is concerned,

284
00:16:59,280 --> 00:17:02,960
'anxiety and excitement are the
mirror image of one another.'

285
00:17:02,960 --> 00:17:06,520
Oh, I really don't want to do this!
Oh!

286
00:17:06,520 --> 00:17:09,640
I feel my stomach lurching,
lurching, lurching.

287
00:17:09,640 --> 00:17:12,960
I'm going to attach myself...
My legs are going now, too.

288
00:17:12,960 --> 00:17:17,240
'They both make our hearts race
and we breathe faster.

289
00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:19,960
'The difference is all in the mind.

290
00:17:19,960 --> 00:17:22,600
'So according to Ian, this means
it's possible

291
00:17:22,600 --> 00:17:26,560
'to control your anxiety
with three simple words.'

292
00:17:26,560 --> 00:17:29,920
OK, OK, I feel, I feel excited!

293
00:17:31,720 --> 00:17:33,960
Ooohhh!

294
00:17:36,040 --> 00:17:38,040
SHE SCREAMS

295
00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:41,200
I did it! I did it! I did it!

296
00:17:42,440 --> 00:17:46,960
Whoa! Hey! Oh, my God.

297
00:17:46,960 --> 00:17:51,160
Actually, now I am excited.
Now it's over.

298
00:17:51,160 --> 00:17:54,640
Can I give you a hand up? Ian, you
are a genius, because, honestly,

299
00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:58,520
I was up there and I was thinking,
"I really don't think I can do this"

300
00:17:58,520 --> 00:18:03,040
and then I did that thing
and I said, "I feel excited,"
and I just went.

301
00:18:03,040 --> 00:18:06,080
Well done, that's fantastic.
Fantastic. Good.

302
00:18:06,080 --> 00:18:10,520
So how did I manage to face
one of my fears,

303
00:18:10,520 --> 00:18:13,600
control my stress and enjoy it?

304
00:18:13,600 --> 00:18:17,680
One of the hormones released into
our brain when we are anxious

305
00:18:17,680 --> 00:18:19,760
or excited is noradrenaline,

306
00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:23,400
produced in a tiny area
called the locus coeruleus.

307
00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:27,680
This part of the brain is sensitive
to how much carbon dioxide

308
00:18:27,680 --> 00:18:33,320
is in our blood, so we can regulate
it by taking a few slow breaths.

309
00:18:33,320 --> 00:18:37,000
And we can control it further
by adopting a confident,

310
00:18:37,000 --> 00:18:42,920
head-up posture which not only helps
deepen the breath, but also
affects our mood.

311
00:18:42,920 --> 00:18:45,640
Too little or too much
of this stress hormone

312
00:18:45,640 --> 00:18:47,720
and our brain underperforms,

313
00:18:47,720 --> 00:18:50,880
but once we hit that sweet spot
where we're challenged,

314
00:18:50,880 --> 00:18:55,240
but not overwhelmed, we're capable
of performing at our best.

315
00:18:55,240 --> 00:18:59,440
It's all about tapping into the
energy of a stressful situation.

316
00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:06,600
If we can learn to control our
stress by turning anxiety

317
00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:11,400
into excitement, can we also use it
to improve our performance?

318
00:19:11,400 --> 00:19:14,880
To find out, Ian is going to
replicate an experiment

319
00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:16,400
from the Harvard Business School,

320
00:19:16,400 --> 00:19:21,640
putting a group of office workers
into a very stressful situation.

321
00:19:21,640 --> 00:19:23,680
Well, hello, everyone.

322
00:19:23,680 --> 00:19:26,200
Thank you so much for coming,
giving up your time,

323
00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:29,360
because I know you all work in
pretty stressful jobs.

324
00:19:29,360 --> 00:19:32,840
I think we might have something
to help you out.

325
00:19:32,840 --> 00:19:35,120
This is Professor Ian Robertson.
Hello.

326
00:19:35,120 --> 00:19:38,120
And you have something up
your sleeve, don't you?

327
00:19:38,120 --> 00:19:42,080
Yeah, we're going to make you very
stressed...performing karaoke.

328
00:19:42,080 --> 00:19:45,600
But we're going to break you
into two groups and I'm going

329
00:19:45,600 --> 00:19:49,240
to give two different strategies to
the two groups.

330
00:19:49,240 --> 00:19:52,520
I hate karaoke.
That would make me really stressed.

331
00:19:52,520 --> 00:19:54,160
When we're feeling anxious,

332
00:19:54,160 --> 00:19:57,880
our instinctive approach is to try
to de-stress and calm down

333
00:19:57,880 --> 00:20:01,160
and that's what one of our
groups is going to do.

334
00:20:01,160 --> 00:20:03,520
Now, I want you to try and just
relax yourselves.

335
00:20:03,520 --> 00:20:08,480
I want you to say out loud now,
"I feel calm." I feel calm.

336
00:20:08,480 --> 00:20:12,200
The other group is going to try
Ian's technique of tricking

337
00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:16,160
their brains into turning their
anxiety into feeling excited.

338
00:20:16,160 --> 00:20:21,240
I want you to say,
"I am excited." OK?

339
00:20:21,240 --> 00:20:25,400
Say to me now. OK. I am excited.
Excellent.

340
00:20:26,600 --> 00:20:28,920
# Spirits move me

341
00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:31,800
# Every time I'm near you

342
00:20:32,920 --> 00:20:37,640
# Whirling like a cyclone
in my mind... #

343
00:20:37,640 --> 00:20:41,520
The karaoke software is scoring
each performance.

344
00:20:41,520 --> 00:20:46,040
What Ian is interested in is whether
being excited rather than calm

345
00:20:46,040 --> 00:20:49,120
helps our volunteers follow the
rhythm and notes of the song

346
00:20:49,120 --> 00:20:51,000
more accurately.

347
00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:53,520
# ..I can find

348
00:20:53,520 --> 00:20:56,080
# Baby, I want you, come

349
00:20:57,520 --> 00:21:02,400
# Come
Come into my arms

350
00:21:02,400 --> 00:21:07,760
It's much harder to say,
"I feel calm," because calmness,

351
00:21:07,760 --> 00:21:11,520
the symptoms are the opposite of
those of excitement or anxiety.
Yeah.

352
00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:16,080
It's much easier to do this little
bit of jujitsu to trick the brain

353
00:21:16,080 --> 00:21:20,600
into reinterpreting anxiety feelings
as excitement feelings.

354
00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:25,400
OK. So really we're expecting the
best performers to be the ones
who said, "I feel excited."

355
00:21:25,400 --> 00:21:27,080
That's what we're predicting.

356
00:21:27,080 --> 00:21:30,800
These feelings are, actually,
they're an energy I can use.

357
00:21:30,800 --> 00:21:33,560
And I can rise to the challenge!
I can rise to the challenge, yeah.

358
00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:36,760
So you're making the most of your
stress really by doing that.
Absolutely.

359
00:21:36,760 --> 00:21:39,960
Making the most of your stress.
CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

360
00:21:46,760 --> 00:21:49,840
So, Ian, the results are in.

361
00:21:49,840 --> 00:21:53,920
The "I am excited" group,
their karaoke score was 5,780,

362
00:21:53,920 --> 00:21:57,040
whereas the control group
were 5,650.

363
00:21:57,040 --> 00:22:00,840
So we got better performers,
the median score, for the people

364
00:22:00,840 --> 00:22:04,000
that said, "I feel excited,"
before they performed.

365
00:22:04,000 --> 00:22:08,040
So the next time you're heading to
a big meeting or have to face

366
00:22:08,040 --> 00:22:12,840
a difficult situation, don't try and
get rid of those anxious feelings.

367
00:22:12,840 --> 00:22:15,240
Instead, turn them into excitement

368
00:22:15,240 --> 00:22:17,680
and it might help you do
even better.

369
00:22:20,320 --> 00:22:25,240
Harnessing stress to your advantage
can be key to feeling less anxious.

370
00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:30,920
Successful athletes, performers and
businesspeople do this all the time.

371
00:22:30,920 --> 00:22:36,360
But how do they optimise
their stress to turn out
world-class performances?

372
00:22:42,520 --> 00:22:44,680
To discover their secrets,

373
00:22:44,680 --> 00:22:47,600
I have come to this athletics
stadium in Birmingham.

374
00:22:54,200 --> 00:22:57,960
On the track is Ellie Stevens,
a middle distance athlete.

375
00:23:01,360 --> 00:23:04,880
After being unable to compete
through illness and injury,

376
00:23:04,880 --> 00:23:10,560
she lost confidence in herself and
stress hampered her performance.

377
00:23:10,560 --> 00:23:15,000
That's when she called in sports
psychologist Tom Bates.

378
00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:18,760
So, Tom, when Ellie first came to
you, when you first met her,

379
00:23:18,760 --> 00:23:21,560
what sort of state was she in?
Well, she was just

380
00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:24,280
in quite a stressed state,
because there were

381
00:23:24,280 --> 00:23:26,200
some challenges that she was going
through,

382
00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:29,800
which were essentially
preventing her, blocking her

383
00:23:29,800 --> 00:23:32,800
from doing what she loved

384
00:23:32,800 --> 00:23:37,040
and so my job with Ellie was to help
her to realise that she can go on

385
00:23:37,040 --> 00:23:40,440
to achieve what she aspires
to achieve.

386
00:23:40,440 --> 00:23:45,320
Tom's taught Ellie to think about
her stress in a more positive way.

387
00:23:45,320 --> 00:23:49,320
It's such a key phrase now, "I'm
stressed out. I'm really stressed."

388
00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:51,680
You hear people say that
all the time

389
00:23:51,680 --> 00:23:56,600
and what you think,
you will become. Absolutely, yeah.

390
00:23:56,600 --> 00:24:00,120
We can't exceed our own self-image.

391
00:24:00,120 --> 00:24:03,400
And the way that we see ourselves
becomes our reality.

392
00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:06,600
If I expect it's going to be
a hassle today for me at work,

393
00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:09,000
if I expect there's going to be
lots of pressure,

394
00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:11,920
if I expect to get stressed every
time I get in that traffic jam,

395
00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:16,040
and I can't cope with that,
then I'll live out my expectations.

396
00:24:17,840 --> 00:24:20,160
Over the last few months,

397
00:24:20,160 --> 00:24:23,880
Ellie's performance
has improved dramatically.

398
00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:29,360
Tom believes that by changing
our perception of stress,

399
00:24:29,360 --> 00:24:32,360
we can all perform at our peak.

400
00:24:32,360 --> 00:24:36,520
You know, elite athletes,
performing at the highest level,

401
00:24:36,520 --> 00:24:38,640
don't perform in the absence
of stress.

402
00:24:38,640 --> 00:24:43,280
They have learned ways to reframe
and use stress as a sign

403
00:24:43,280 --> 00:24:45,800
that their bodies are getting ready
to perform

404
00:24:45,800 --> 00:24:47,880
when their best is needed.

405
00:24:47,880 --> 00:24:51,160
It's not possible to be able
to control what the crowd think

406
00:24:51,160 --> 00:24:53,520
or what the TV pundits
are saying about us.

407
00:24:53,520 --> 00:24:57,560
We can't always control
the situations we find ourselves in,

408
00:24:57,560 --> 00:25:00,960
but we can always control
our response.

409
00:25:00,960 --> 00:25:03,480
Mind-set defines performance.

410
00:25:03,480 --> 00:25:06,480
Stress can be seen
as something very positive,

411
00:25:06,480 --> 00:25:10,400
and stress can drive success
instead of it being a hindrance,

412
00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:12,880
and it's all to do with
the way that we see it.

413
00:25:16,520 --> 00:25:18,560
Well, I've learned a loud,

414
00:25:18,560 --> 00:25:23,120
clear lesson about stress today -
it's the way we use it that matters.

415
00:25:23,120 --> 00:25:25,880
It can mean the difference
between a bad performance

416
00:25:25,880 --> 00:25:31,040
and a gold medal,
or an A in your maths exam or a D.

417
00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:34,760
Stress can be a really
empowering tool. It's down to us.

418
00:25:34,760 --> 00:25:37,960
It can empower us as long
as we learn to use it properly.

419
00:25:42,960 --> 00:25:46,080
We've seen how stress can help
improve our performance,

420
00:25:46,080 --> 00:25:52,520
but some brand-new research suggests
we might also be able to use
it to treat serious health issues.

421
00:25:52,520 --> 00:25:58,160
It's all to do with using
our reserves of something
called brown fat.

422
00:25:58,160 --> 00:26:01,880
I've come to the Big Chill Swim
in the Lake District

423
00:26:01,880 --> 00:26:04,040
to meet Professor Michael Symonds

424
00:26:04,040 --> 00:26:07,160
to find out about this extraordinary
new research.

425
00:26:08,680 --> 00:26:14,120
Michael, brown fat -
it sounds horrible! What is it?

426
00:26:14,120 --> 00:26:18,480
Well, brown fat - I suppose it gets
a bad press because it's called fat.

427
00:26:18,480 --> 00:26:23,280
And brown. And brown, but, actually,
it's a really good fat.

428
00:26:23,280 --> 00:26:27,600
Without it, I doubt if you and I
would be here, because brown fat

429
00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:30,120
is switched on
when you're first born,

430
00:26:30,120 --> 00:26:33,840
and it's switched on then
because it has a unique capacity

431
00:26:33,840 --> 00:26:37,480
to produce really large amounts of
heat, and just to put it in context,

432
00:26:37,480 --> 00:26:41,240
if you compare, say, one gram
of brown fat with one gram of muscle

433
00:26:41,240 --> 00:26:42,840
or one gram of white fat...

434
00:26:42,840 --> 00:26:46,040
Yeah. ..it can produce 300 times
more heat.

435
00:26:51,440 --> 00:26:53,840
'All of us have reserves
of brown fat.

436
00:26:53,840 --> 00:26:56,440
'Michael's theory
is that when we're stressed,

437
00:26:56,440 --> 00:27:01,640
'the brown fat is activated,
which in turn burns calories...

438
00:27:01,640 --> 00:27:04,920
'and what better way
to stress the body

439
00:27:04,920 --> 00:27:07,960
'than jumping into a lake
of freezing water?

440
00:27:09,800 --> 00:27:13,760
'Using a thermal imaging camera,
Michael scanned the bodies of

441
00:27:13,760 --> 00:27:16,560
'the swimmers before they took
the plunge.'

442
00:27:16,560 --> 00:27:18,320
Our swimmers are there...

443
00:27:18,320 --> 00:27:19,480
That's it.

444
00:27:19,480 --> 00:27:21,000
..in freezing temperatures,

445
00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:23,600
so what's going to be going on
with their brown fat?

446
00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:27,200
I think the temperature of the water
is about seven degrees C.

447
00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:29,560
Not far off the temperature
we have our fridges at.

448
00:27:29,560 --> 00:27:33,680
That's right, yeah, and swimming up
and down for about ten minutes,

449
00:27:33,680 --> 00:27:36,280
that's going to switch on your
brown fat, because if it doesn't,

450
00:27:36,280 --> 00:27:39,560
I think you'd be struggling
to cope with the cold.

451
00:27:42,440 --> 00:27:45,840
Now, the thermal imaging camera
is used to look at the heat

452
00:27:45,840 --> 00:27:49,440
produced by the swimmers' bodies
after they've been subjected

453
00:27:49,440 --> 00:27:52,120
to the short,
sharp stress of the cold water.

454
00:27:53,120 --> 00:27:57,960
If, as expected, the cold
has switched on their brown fat,

455
00:27:57,960 --> 00:28:01,840
then it should show up as two white
patches either side of the neck.

456
00:28:02,840 --> 00:28:06,400
So, Michael, can we see
the brown fat from our swimmers?

457
00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:09,960
So, we'll start off by just looking
at the image before.

458
00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:12,120
You'll see here there's a small,

459
00:28:12,120 --> 00:28:15,720
white area here that corresponds
to where the brown fat is,

460
00:28:15,720 --> 00:28:19,200
and then we'll go and look
at the image after,

461
00:28:19,200 --> 00:28:21,920
and you can see
that this area is bigger.

462
00:28:21,920 --> 00:28:24,400
It's bigger, yeah. Yeah, definitely.

463
00:28:25,960 --> 00:28:29,120
'All the swimmers who were tested
showed the same result -

464
00:28:29,120 --> 00:28:34,480
'that the stress induced by the cold
water activated their brown fat.'

465
00:28:34,480 --> 00:28:36,440
So when the newspaper headlines say,

466
00:28:36,440 --> 00:28:40,120
"Stress can help you lose weight,"
they're correct?

467
00:28:40,120 --> 00:28:42,200
In terms of acute stress, yeah.

468
00:28:42,200 --> 00:28:46,000
Michael is currently researching
ways to switch on brown fat

469
00:28:46,000 --> 00:28:48,440
without such extreme measures.

470
00:28:48,440 --> 00:28:51,440
If successful, it might be that
stress could help people

471
00:28:51,440 --> 00:28:55,840
who are obese or have diabetes
to manage their weight.

472
00:29:00,800 --> 00:29:05,760
So, acute stress can be invigorating
and sharpen our performance,

473
00:29:05,760 --> 00:29:08,360
but when we're permanently stressed,

474
00:29:08,360 --> 00:29:12,880
it not only causes uncomfortable
physical and mental sensations,

475
00:29:12,880 --> 00:29:17,720
but it can tip over into
the real killer - chronic stress.

476
00:29:20,320 --> 00:29:23,800
Acute stress now and then
is fairly normal,

477
00:29:23,800 --> 00:29:26,120
but when we're constantly stressed,

478
00:29:26,120 --> 00:29:28,960
it can lead to the
over-production of cortisol.

479
00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:31,440
Also known as the steroid hormone,

480
00:29:31,440 --> 00:29:35,440
cortisol has an effect on our blood
sugar levels to give us more energy.

481
00:29:35,440 --> 00:29:39,640
When we're chronically stressed,
our cortisol tap is turned on

482
00:29:39,640 --> 00:29:44,520
all the time, and this can have
a serious affect on our health.

483
00:29:46,200 --> 00:29:48,720
It weakens parts
of our immune system,

484
00:29:48,720 --> 00:29:51,120
making us more vulnerable
to disease.

485
00:29:51,120 --> 00:29:52,640
It increases our blood pressure,

486
00:29:52,640 --> 00:29:56,680
which puts a strain on our arteries,
and that can lead to heart disease.

487
00:29:57,920 --> 00:30:01,760
And it's been linked to serious
mental health issues,

488
00:30:01,760 --> 00:30:04,160
such as anxiety and depression.

489
00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:12,440
I have suffered
from this type of stress,

490
00:30:12,440 --> 00:30:15,840
the type that you can't get away
from because it's totally out

491
00:30:15,840 --> 00:30:20,840
of your control, and it can go on
for weeks or months or even years.

492
00:30:27,160 --> 00:30:32,840
I remember a period in my life
where I went up into my office,

493
00:30:32,840 --> 00:30:37,480
sat at my computer screen
and literally sort of rocked

494
00:30:37,480 --> 00:30:42,520
back and forth and back and forth
cos everything had become too much.

495
00:30:42,520 --> 00:30:43,920
I was getting up at, sort of,

496
00:30:43,920 --> 00:30:46,800
3.30 in the morning
for breakfast television,

497
00:30:46,800 --> 00:30:51,440
I had two very small boys -
one was a baby, one a toddler -

498
00:30:51,440 --> 00:30:52,960
and also,

499
00:30:52,960 --> 00:30:57,680
my mum and dad were, within
a couple of years of each other,

500
00:30:57,680 --> 00:31:01,440
diagnosed with early onset of
Alzheimer's and I was trying

501
00:31:01,440 --> 00:31:04,320
to care for them at a distance
and look after the children

502
00:31:04,320 --> 00:31:08,360
and keep my job going
and sometimes speak to my husband.

503
00:31:09,640 --> 00:31:13,240
I wouldn't be surprised
at the impact that all that stress

504
00:31:13,240 --> 00:31:16,640
in the past has had on me.

505
00:31:16,640 --> 00:31:19,760
'To find out if my long-term health
has been damaged,

506
00:31:19,760 --> 00:31:22,920
'I'm having a sample of my blood
taken for analysis.'

507
00:31:22,920 --> 00:31:26,120
It's going to be a sharp scratch,
yeah? OK.

508
00:31:28,040 --> 00:31:29,680
Are you OK? Hm-mm.

509
00:31:29,680 --> 00:31:33,320
'It'll be sent to Newcastle
University's Institute for Ageing,

510
00:31:33,320 --> 00:31:36,240
'where they'll examine
my white bloody cells.

511
00:31:36,240 --> 00:31:40,000
'I'll be getting the results
in a couple of weeks.

512
00:31:41,800 --> 00:31:46,320
'Lots of stress, as we all know, can
often lead to bad lifestyle habits,

513
00:31:46,320 --> 00:31:48,800
'which can further
damage our health.

514
00:31:48,800 --> 00:31:54,480
'Like many of us, what I reach for
may be doing me more harm than good
in the long term.'

515
00:31:57,280 --> 00:31:59,080
First of all, chocolate. Yeah.

516
00:31:59,080 --> 00:32:00,480
Chocolate, definitely.

517
00:32:00,480 --> 00:32:01,640
A Scotch egg.

518
00:32:01,640 --> 00:32:03,160
A Scotch egg! An old favourite.

519
00:32:03,160 --> 00:32:07,520
And then I'll go for
a burger or French fries.

520
00:32:07,520 --> 00:32:10,520
I've got a bag full of hot,
spicy chicken wings.

521
00:32:10,520 --> 00:32:11,960
A milk shake, definitely.

522
00:32:13,280 --> 00:32:16,520
When we're feeling stressed out,
lots of us comfort eat.

523
00:32:16,520 --> 00:32:20,400
We eat not because we're hungry,
but to boost our mood.

524
00:32:22,160 --> 00:32:25,160
The problem with most comfort foods
is they tend to be

525
00:32:25,160 --> 00:32:29,520
packed full of sugar and fat.
That is so tempting!

526
00:32:29,520 --> 00:32:32,480
Not good for your health, though,
never mind your waistline.

527
00:32:32,480 --> 00:32:36,280
So why is it, I wonder,
that we tend to crave sweet,

528
00:32:36,280 --> 00:32:39,200
fatty foods when we're feeling
stressed out?

529
00:32:42,080 --> 00:32:46,040
To tackle this question, we're going
to do an experiment involving

530
00:32:46,040 --> 00:32:51,320
one of the most stressful hobbies
in the UK - being a football fan.

531
00:32:57,240 --> 00:33:01,280
Supporting a football team can be
a stressful old business, you know!

532
00:33:01,280 --> 00:33:04,600
I'm a Chelsea fan
and even if we're winning,

533
00:33:04,600 --> 00:33:08,120
there's a lot of stress involved
over disputed penalties,

534
00:33:08,120 --> 00:33:12,360
corners, fouls, or, of course,
if the other side wins,

535
00:33:12,360 --> 00:33:16,000
so I'm on my way to meet a scientist
who's been using the emotional highs

536
00:33:16,000 --> 00:33:21,880
and lows of sports fans to research
how that can affect
how we taste our food.

537
00:33:23,480 --> 00:33:28,080
Now, they don't realise it yet, but
these football fans from Doncaster

538
00:33:28,080 --> 00:33:32,280
and Grimsby Town are going to be
guinea pigs for a special taste test

539
00:33:32,280 --> 00:33:36,840
devised by Professor Robin Dando
of Cornell University.

540
00:33:36,840 --> 00:33:40,560
What we're interested in looking at
is if there's a link between

541
00:33:40,560 --> 00:33:43,600
how we're feeling and our sense
of taste, so, today,

542
00:33:43,600 --> 00:33:47,360
people are going to be very
heavily invested in the scoreline.

543
00:33:47,360 --> 00:33:52,360
The home team is doing very well and
they're playing their local rivals,

544
00:33:52,360 --> 00:33:56,840
so what we're hoping to do today
is give the same sample

545
00:33:56,840 --> 00:34:00,000
to fans of the home team
and fans of the away team,

546
00:34:00,000 --> 00:34:02,720
and then see if they perceive it
differently.

547
00:34:02,720 --> 00:34:04,240
This of course relies on...

548
00:34:04,240 --> 00:34:08,120
We're keeping our fingers crossed
that somebody wins
and it's not a draw.

549
00:34:08,120 --> 00:34:11,200
And what are we going
to be giving them, food-wise?

550
00:34:11,200 --> 00:34:15,560
So, they're going to be trying lemon
curd flavoured doughnuts. Oh, nice.

551
00:34:15,560 --> 00:34:17,960
That's made me feel better already!

552
00:34:20,640 --> 00:34:24,360
According to Robin's research,
how we taste our food is altered

553
00:34:24,360 --> 00:34:27,480
by our emotions,
including how stressed we feel.

554
00:34:28,920 --> 00:34:32,600
What we're interested in is what
effect stress actually has

555
00:34:32,600 --> 00:34:36,240
on how food tastes and
whether this explains why we choose

556
00:34:36,240 --> 00:34:38,520
certain types of comfort food.

557
00:34:41,040 --> 00:34:42,600
At the end of the match,

558
00:34:42,600 --> 00:34:47,240
Robin's plan is to carry out
a taste test with both sets of fans.

559
00:34:48,520 --> 00:34:54,280
What we're expecting is that
the fans whose team has lost
will be more stressed out.

560
00:34:54,280 --> 00:34:57,320
All that's needed is a goal.

561
00:34:57,320 --> 00:34:59,960
Free kick!
So this is a good opportunity.

562
00:35:01,120 --> 00:35:03,440
CHEERING

563
00:35:06,800 --> 00:35:09,000
A great goal!

564
00:35:10,920 --> 00:35:13,360
CHANTING

565
00:35:16,200 --> 00:35:20,400
So, will the fans from the losing
side taste Robin's doughnuts

566
00:35:20,400 --> 00:35:23,640
differently to those
on the winning side?

567
00:35:23,640 --> 00:35:26,280
All right, guys -
who fancies a doughnut?

568
00:35:26,280 --> 00:35:30,000
Would you fancy a doughnut at all
to celebrate your win today?

569
00:35:31,320 --> 00:35:35,080
'We invited fans from both sides
to eat a lemon curd doughnut

570
00:35:35,080 --> 00:35:40,360
'and rate how sweet it tastes,
and also how sour it tastes.'

571
00:35:40,360 --> 00:35:43,280
Yeah, and you're a Rovers fan,
I can tell. Yeah. There you go.

572
00:35:43,280 --> 00:35:47,880
Guys, sorry. You're on the losing
side. Do you want a doughnut? Yeah.

573
00:35:47,880 --> 00:35:49,040
Have a doughnut.

574
00:35:49,040 --> 00:35:52,160
'We then asked the fans
how stressed they feel.

575
00:35:52,160 --> 00:35:54,640
'So, what were the results?'

576
00:35:54,640 --> 00:35:57,880
This is to help you get over
your sad defeat today.

577
00:35:57,880 --> 00:36:01,400
'The fans on the losing side rated
the doughnuts as tasting

578
00:36:01,400 --> 00:36:06,080
'more sour and, crucially, less
sweet than the wining side,

579
00:36:06,080 --> 00:36:10,280
'who literally experienced
the sweet taste of victory.

580
00:36:10,280 --> 00:36:14,400
'These results are consistent
with a large-scale study

581
00:36:14,400 --> 00:36:17,440
'that Robin's done
with sports fans in America.

582
00:36:17,440 --> 00:36:21,360
'Being stressed seems to make food
taste less sweet.'

583
00:36:21,360 --> 00:36:22,920
And would that be, then,

584
00:36:22,920 --> 00:36:25,640
why we would crave sweet things
as comfort food?

585
00:36:25,640 --> 00:36:29,440
Yeah, so that would mean when we
consume something, you know,

586
00:36:29,440 --> 00:36:33,040
moderately sweet,
it's not as pleasant any more.

587
00:36:33,040 --> 00:36:36,600
You don't get the same positive
feeling from it, and you're likely

588
00:36:36,600 --> 00:36:39,880
instead to go for something
which is more intensely sweet,

589
00:36:39,880 --> 00:36:43,040
something like
a classical comfort food,

590
00:36:43,040 --> 00:36:45,920
which, unfortunately,
tend to be much worse for you.

591
00:36:48,760 --> 00:36:52,720
When we tracked a typical day
with our three volunteers earlier

592
00:36:52,720 --> 00:36:57,000
in the programme, we found that
the most stressed individual, Andy,

593
00:36:57,000 --> 00:36:58,880
was powering his way through the day

594
00:36:58,880 --> 00:37:01,880
with the help of
sugary snacks and coffee.

595
00:37:04,000 --> 00:37:06,760
When we tested his levels
of cortisol,

596
00:37:06,760 --> 00:37:08,520
the damaging stress hormone,

597
00:37:08,520 --> 00:37:13,480
they indicated that he was starting
to show signs of chronic stress.

598
00:37:13,480 --> 00:37:15,960
Work is the main trigger for Andy,

599
00:37:15,960 --> 00:37:20,160
so it's difficult for him
to escape that pressure.

600
00:37:20,160 --> 00:37:23,840
But he can make some simple
lifestyle changes to stop

601
00:37:23,840 --> 00:37:27,920
his stress levels spiking
unnecessarily throughout the day.

602
00:37:27,920 --> 00:37:30,120
HE SIGHS

603
00:37:35,840 --> 00:37:38,120
To help Andy cope
with his stress better,

604
00:37:38,120 --> 00:37:42,120
I've brought him along to meet
nutritionist Christine Bailey.

605
00:37:42,120 --> 00:37:45,400
Hello. Hi, there. How are you?

606
00:37:45,400 --> 00:37:48,520
'Christine believes there are
certain foods that can satisfy

607
00:37:48,520 --> 00:37:53,560
'both our comfort eating cravings
and reduce our stress response.'

608
00:37:53,560 --> 00:37:57,040
We need you to tell us,
don't we, Andy? Yeah.

609
00:37:57,040 --> 00:38:00,600
..Foods that are good for stress,
cos I know when I'm stressed out,
like, for example,

610
00:38:00,600 --> 00:38:04,080
this morning, rushing around,
I grabbed a cinnamon bun.

611
00:38:04,080 --> 00:38:07,440
Andy, what would you do?
Fried chicken.

612
00:38:07,440 --> 00:38:11,120
Ah! I just crave fried chicken.
I shouldn't, but I do.

613
00:38:11,120 --> 00:38:15,960
When you are struggling with stress,
then really what you need is foods

614
00:38:15,960 --> 00:38:19,600
that are going to keep your energy
levels and your blood sugar stable.

615
00:38:19,600 --> 00:38:23,320
'Sugary comfort foods cause
our blood sugar levels to spike

616
00:38:23,320 --> 00:38:27,600
'and then dip, which can make us
feel more anxious, not less.

617
00:38:27,600 --> 00:38:30,000
'Christine's got some alternatives.'

618
00:38:30,000 --> 00:38:33,440
Blueberries are very high in
vitamin C, full of antioxidants,

619
00:38:33,440 --> 00:38:37,480
very protective and are going
to give you that sweet,

620
00:38:37,480 --> 00:38:42,520
you know, taste in the mouth
without a craving for sugar,

621
00:38:42,520 --> 00:38:44,960
without upsetting the blood
sugar levels.

622
00:38:44,960 --> 00:38:47,280
They are nice. Yeah. Mm.

623
00:38:47,280 --> 00:38:51,680
'But what about snacks that help
alleviate some of the
symptoms of stress,

624
00:38:51,680 --> 00:38:55,920
'that help to dial down the amount
of cortisol our bodies
are releasing?'

625
00:38:55,920 --> 00:39:00,440
So we've got pumpkin seeds...
Pumpkin seeds... Almonds. Almonds.

626
00:39:00,440 --> 00:39:01,720
Walnuts. Walnuts.

627
00:39:01,720 --> 00:39:03,600
All of them,
very good source of protein,

628
00:39:03,600 --> 00:39:06,040
so they're going to help stabilise
your blood sugar,

629
00:39:06,040 --> 00:39:09,960
and the walnuts contain
omega three fats as well,

630
00:39:09,960 --> 00:39:13,400
so very good for the brain,
very good if you're feeling

631
00:39:13,400 --> 00:39:18,800
quite anxious, and these are
great sources of magnesium.

632
00:39:18,800 --> 00:39:22,680
Now, we know magnesium is very good
to help us keep calm,

633
00:39:22,680 --> 00:39:26,840
so very good for anxiety, and these
would be a good portable snack,

634
00:39:26,840 --> 00:39:30,080
so when you're working, you could
take some of these with you,

635
00:39:30,080 --> 00:39:32,840
couldn't you? Yeah, yeah,
definitely. Little Tupperware box.

636
00:39:32,840 --> 00:39:36,480
Yeah. You will be so laid-back,
you won't know yourself!

637
00:39:36,480 --> 00:39:39,520
Nice and chilled - great for
the brain as well. Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

638
00:39:39,520 --> 00:39:45,520
Christine has another suggestion
for Andy - to cut back on coffee.

639
00:39:45,520 --> 00:39:47,360
If you're already stressed,

640
00:39:47,360 --> 00:39:51,560
flooding your system with caffeine
will just make you feel even worse.

641
00:39:52,760 --> 00:39:55,680
Too much caffeine
can cause insomnia,

642
00:39:55,680 --> 00:39:58,520
nervousness
and an increased heart rate.

643
00:39:58,520 --> 00:40:01,280
In fact, all the symptoms of stress!

644
00:40:02,560 --> 00:40:05,800
Christine recommends
a healthier alternative.

645
00:40:05,800 --> 00:40:09,080
So, green tea is very high
in something called L-theanine.

646
00:40:09,080 --> 00:40:11,000
It's an amino acid,

647
00:40:11,000 --> 00:40:14,720
and what we know from the research
is that it actually helps improve

648
00:40:14,720 --> 00:40:19,360
your concentration, your focus
and keeps you feeling calm,

649
00:40:19,360 --> 00:40:22,280
so very good when you're
feeling anxious, Andy. Yeah.

650
00:40:22,280 --> 00:40:25,200
What do you reckon?
I think it's an acquired taste.

651
00:40:26,720 --> 00:40:29,920
So, the advice for Andy,
and actually all of us,

652
00:40:29,920 --> 00:40:34,000
is avoid comfort foods
and opt instead for healthy,

653
00:40:34,000 --> 00:40:38,960
nutritious foods that can genuinely
help your body cope with stress.

654
00:40:40,480 --> 00:40:43,400
And here are some other tips.

655
00:40:43,400 --> 00:40:45,680
Don't skip breakfast.

656
00:40:45,680 --> 00:40:47,240
Studies show that if you do,

657
00:40:47,240 --> 00:40:51,960
your cortisol levels will rise to
increase your blood sugar levels.

658
00:40:51,960 --> 00:40:55,400
Carry a bottle of water with
time markings to make sure

659
00:40:55,400 --> 00:40:58,080
you keep hydrated
throughout the day.

660
00:40:58,080 --> 00:41:00,600
Dehydration puts your body
under more stress,

661
00:41:00,600 --> 00:41:02,320
and that means more cortisol.

662
00:41:03,960 --> 00:41:08,040
Eat vitamin C-rich produce
like oranges and berries,

663
00:41:08,040 --> 00:41:11,280
which will all help
to boost your immune system.

664
00:41:14,240 --> 00:41:18,600
Stress is part and parcel of our
daily lives and few of us

665
00:41:18,600 --> 00:41:21,640
can escape it,
but there are some simple ways

666
00:41:21,640 --> 00:41:24,400
to keep unwanted stress
under control.

667
00:41:24,400 --> 00:41:27,840
Steve and Paulette
are joining Andy on

668
00:41:27,840 --> 00:41:33,800
a three-week stress reduction regime
using three manageable techniques.

669
00:41:33,800 --> 00:41:37,920
They're all working at improving
their diet, and they're all

670
00:41:37,920 --> 00:41:41,360
going to increase the amount
of physical exercise they do.

671
00:41:41,360 --> 00:41:43,880
I'm not spending megabucks
on the gym.

672
00:41:43,880 --> 00:41:45,920
I just walk around
the block three times,

673
00:41:45,920 --> 00:41:49,800
through this lovely park, and at
the end of the third lap, I go up

674
00:41:49,800 --> 00:41:53,960
and down the stairs three times and
then go round the block again twice.

675
00:41:55,080 --> 00:41:59,680
Regular exercise releases
feel-good hormones, endorphins.

676
00:41:59,680 --> 00:42:03,200
These counteract
our negative feelings and anxiety,

677
00:42:03,200 --> 00:42:05,760
which means we release
less cortisol.

678
00:42:08,320 --> 00:42:10,000
Like Steve says,

679
00:42:10,000 --> 00:42:13,640
you don't have to spend money
or take up marathon running.

680
00:42:13,640 --> 00:42:17,120
Simple things like walking more
briskly, doing a few steps

681
00:42:17,120 --> 00:42:20,600
and stretches in the park,
or using a skipping rope

682
00:42:20,600 --> 00:42:24,200
for five minutes a day can
all make a big difference.

683
00:42:27,320 --> 00:42:30,520
Not only will our volunteers
be doing more exercise

684
00:42:30,520 --> 00:42:34,640
and eating better,
they'll also try out mindfulness.

685
00:42:34,640 --> 00:42:38,400
Now we take our attention
to the movement of the breath,

686
00:42:38,400 --> 00:42:40,560
around the belly or the chest.

687
00:42:42,320 --> 00:42:45,360
It's a technique
that has its roots in meditation.

688
00:42:45,360 --> 00:42:50,880
It's ability to treat various
health issues is gaining momentum
in the scientific community.

689
00:42:54,880 --> 00:43:00,640
I want to find out why
it's being raved about as
an effective stress-buster.

690
00:43:03,920 --> 00:43:07,800
BELL RINGS

691
00:43:12,680 --> 00:43:15,960
These days, it's not just adults
that complain about stress -

692
00:43:15,960 --> 00:43:19,280
increasingly, youngsters
are affected by it, too.

693
00:43:19,280 --> 00:43:23,200
I've got two teenage sons
and I honestly think school life

694
00:43:23,200 --> 00:43:27,040
these days is harder than it's
ever been with constant tests,

695
00:43:27,040 --> 00:43:29,040
assessments, assignments,

696
00:43:29,040 --> 00:43:33,240
exams all the way through
from primary school to sixth form.

697
00:43:33,240 --> 00:43:36,400
Now I've heard that mindfulness
is being used in some schools

698
00:43:36,400 --> 00:43:39,440
as a way of helping people
to cope with exam stress,

699
00:43:39,440 --> 00:43:43,400
and I'm at one school now
which is doing just that.

700
00:43:45,320 --> 00:43:49,920
Maybe feel your heels, or the backs
of your legs on the floor.

701
00:43:49,920 --> 00:43:54,160
Really feel in to the
different sensations.

702
00:43:55,160 --> 00:44:00,400
And when you breathe out, I want you
always to imagine as best you can

703
00:44:00,400 --> 00:44:05,800
as though any stress is just now
melting away down onto the floor.

704
00:44:08,640 --> 00:44:11,360
Rates of depression and anxiety
amongst teenagers

705
00:44:11,360 --> 00:44:15,720
have increased by 70%
in the past 25 years.

706
00:44:15,720 --> 00:44:17,760
In an attempt to reduce
these figures,

707
00:44:17,760 --> 00:44:22,040
over 5,000 teachers are being
trained in mindfulness techniques.

708
00:44:22,040 --> 00:44:24,840
Just focusing on your breath,
breathing in,

709
00:44:24,840 --> 00:44:28,600
go up your finger, out,
down your finger.

710
00:44:28,600 --> 00:44:30,840
Well, mindfulness is a technique,
really,

711
00:44:30,840 --> 00:44:34,720
that helps you anchor your attention
on the present moment.

712
00:44:34,720 --> 00:44:41,120
It's amazing how much time we spend
either reminiscing about the past
or racing forward to the future,

713
00:44:41,120 --> 00:44:45,640
and both of those two things
can cause stress, and that's what

714
00:44:45,640 --> 00:44:49,040
we're trying to avoid, or we're
trying to kind of duck under.

715
00:44:49,040 --> 00:44:53,640
So, mindfulness is all about paying
attention to the present moment

716
00:44:53,640 --> 00:44:58,680
on purpose, so making an effort
to do it, and without judgment.

717
00:44:58,680 --> 00:45:00,560
How are your toes moving?

718
00:45:00,560 --> 00:45:03,480
Being a teenager has always been
a tricky time,

719
00:45:03,480 --> 00:45:07,280
but what's changed is the fast-paced
environment we now live in

720
00:45:07,280 --> 00:45:10,840
and the strains of living
your life on social media.

721
00:45:10,840 --> 00:45:14,320
Now, girls,
how do you think mindfulness helps?

722
00:45:14,320 --> 00:45:17,760
Well, I tend to procrastinate
a lot when I'm doing homework

723
00:45:17,760 --> 00:45:21,600
or revision, and mindfulness
really helps me to focus in,

724
00:45:21,600 --> 00:45:22,680
so I'm not thinking about

725
00:45:22,680 --> 00:45:24,920
what I'm going to do tomorrow
or what happened today.

726
00:45:24,920 --> 00:45:28,360
So you can really stay
in the moment and focus? Yeah.

727
00:45:28,360 --> 00:45:31,640
I found that doing sit-down
practices before revising

728
00:45:31,640 --> 00:45:34,400
really helped me absorb
more information.

729
00:45:34,400 --> 00:45:36,680
And what sort of sit-down practices
would you do?

730
00:45:36,680 --> 00:45:39,360
I would sit down and I would
just think about, like,

731
00:45:39,360 --> 00:45:42,480
about how my back feels,
how my legs feel, how my hands feel,

732
00:45:42,480 --> 00:45:44,440
and then that really
helped me focus in,

733
00:45:44,440 --> 00:45:48,960
on myself, so I could absorb
everything that I needed to
for the exams.

734
00:45:54,520 --> 00:46:01,000
It's all very well being told
that mindfulness works,
but I'm still a bit sceptical.

735
00:46:01,000 --> 00:46:05,120
I've come to The Institute
of Psychiatry, Psychology
and Neuroscience

736
00:46:05,120 --> 00:46:06,920
at King's College, London,

737
00:46:06,920 --> 00:46:09,440
to find out what the science
is behind it.

738
00:46:10,840 --> 00:46:14,080
Here, ongoing research is underway
into the effects

739
00:46:14,080 --> 00:46:17,520
of mindfulness
in experienced practitioners.

740
00:46:17,520 --> 00:46:20,040
The results have been surprising.

741
00:46:22,000 --> 00:46:26,960
Mindfulness can help us with stress
in one particular way, and that is

742
00:46:26,960 --> 00:46:30,720
helping us to deal with this mind
that is constantly worrying

743
00:46:30,720 --> 00:46:35,120
about things. We can call that,
sort of, mind wandering. Hm.

744
00:46:35,120 --> 00:46:40,600
Science has shown that when we do
mind wander, 60% of the time,

745
00:46:40,600 --> 00:46:43,280
it's about worry,
and negative mind wandering.

746
00:46:43,280 --> 00:46:45,320
So what are we looking at here?

747
00:46:45,320 --> 00:46:49,720
So it's actually a brain of the same
experienced mindfulness
practitioner,

748
00:46:49,720 --> 00:46:54,680
and I asked him to switch between
allowing his mind to wander

749
00:46:54,680 --> 00:46:58,520
and react to the experiences -
worry about things,

750
00:46:58,520 --> 00:47:02,400
think about the future,
ruminate about the past - and then,

751
00:47:02,400 --> 00:47:07,480
switching to mindfulness, so, quite
literally, plugged in into now.

752
00:47:07,480 --> 00:47:11,440
'The difference in the brain scans
is clear to see.'

753
00:47:11,440 --> 00:47:15,760
When we get caught up in our mind
wandering and our reactions,

754
00:47:15,760 --> 00:47:21,720
this area are the areas
that we call self-referencing -
it's the me-me-me experience.

755
00:47:21,720 --> 00:47:23,960
OK. There's
a lot of me-me-me going on there.

756
00:47:23,960 --> 00:47:25,760
It's a lot of me-me-me going on.

757
00:47:25,760 --> 00:47:27,480
A lot of this thinking,

758
00:47:27,480 --> 00:47:31,120
me-me-me thinking
constantly agitates our mind,

759
00:47:31,120 --> 00:47:35,960
and when we switch into mindfulness
and all of that gets relaxed

760
00:47:35,960 --> 00:47:39,640
in the brain, we're no longer
running with that commentary...

761
00:47:39,640 --> 00:47:43,040
That's incredible!
The difference is stark! Yes.

762
00:47:43,040 --> 00:47:44,680
We've just got so much activity

763
00:47:44,680 --> 00:47:46,640
going on in
the mind-wandering brain,

764
00:47:46,640 --> 00:47:50,320
and yet barely any in the
mindfulness brain. That's right.

765
00:47:50,320 --> 00:47:52,520
And what effect would that have?

766
00:47:52,520 --> 00:47:55,760
Having less reaction
in the frontal lobe?

767
00:47:55,760 --> 00:47:59,840
So, the experience associated
with this brain state

768
00:47:59,840 --> 00:48:03,120
is that sense of openness
and clarity.

769
00:48:03,120 --> 00:48:05,040
A lot of this thinking,

770
00:48:05,040 --> 00:48:08,400
me-me-me thinking,
constantly agitates our mind.

771
00:48:08,400 --> 00:48:12,360
We constantly interrupt
those networks by this commenting

772
00:48:12,360 --> 00:48:16,200
what we're doing, the striving on
how we should be doing it better...

773
00:48:16,200 --> 00:48:19,920
What people think of you...
..Flagellating ourselves
for failing,

774
00:48:19,920 --> 00:48:24,400
you know - that's the commentary
that mindfulness allows to silence.

775
00:48:24,400 --> 00:48:28,400
Yeah. Gosh. I need that silence!
I really need that silence.

776
00:48:28,400 --> 00:48:31,200
That is my brain at the moment -
the mind wandering.

777
00:48:31,200 --> 00:48:34,440
Even when I'm speaking,
I'm thinking about other things,

778
00:48:34,440 --> 00:48:37,920
and I would love to have that brain,
the mindfulness one.

779
00:48:37,920 --> 00:48:41,520
Well, I have to say, I was
a bit cynical about mindfulness

780
00:48:41,520 --> 00:48:45,880
at the beginning of the day,
and now I am definitely a convert.

781
00:48:45,880 --> 00:48:47,680
I've seen the science.

782
00:48:47,680 --> 00:48:53,040
The mindfulness brain, quiet
and just taking in everything
that it needs to take in,

783
00:48:53,040 --> 00:48:57,040
and that noisy, noisy mind-wandering
brain which most of us have got,

784
00:48:57,040 --> 00:49:01,280
the me-me-me, the "what should
I do next, what should I
be doing now"... Argh!

785
00:49:01,280 --> 00:49:04,560
So, mindfulness, I think,
would be a really useful tool.

786
00:49:04,560 --> 00:49:06,360
It'll take some investment
time-wise,

787
00:49:06,360 --> 00:49:09,280
but I think
it's definitely worth it.

788
00:49:14,520 --> 00:49:18,440
But having said that, mindfulness
isn't the be-all and end-all.

789
00:49:18,440 --> 00:49:20,120
If you have teenagers,

790
00:49:20,120 --> 00:49:23,760
there are other ways
of dealing with exam stress.

791
00:49:23,760 --> 00:49:28,440
There are lots of things students,
and indeed parents, can try.

792
00:49:29,560 --> 00:49:33,680
Getting into the right mind-set
to take your exams can make

793
00:49:33,680 --> 00:49:37,120
a huge difference, sometimes
the difference of a whole grade,

794
00:49:37,120 --> 00:49:41,040
so to help students get into
the right frame of mind,

795
00:49:41,040 --> 00:49:46,200
we've gathered together some
brilliant advice from young people
who took their exams last year.

796
00:49:46,200 --> 00:49:49,440
They're a varied bunch
with problems varying

797
00:49:49,440 --> 00:49:52,000
from parental pressure to anxiety

798
00:49:52,000 --> 00:49:54,880
and a fear of planning
and organising.

799
00:49:54,880 --> 00:49:58,360
All the information,
if you want it, is at BBC Bitesize.

800
00:50:01,800 --> 00:50:06,960
It's been six weeks since we tested
our volunteers' responses to stress.

801
00:50:09,120 --> 00:50:13,000
Although their stress triggers
have stayed much the same,

802
00:50:13,000 --> 00:50:15,680
they're hoping that some of
the techniques they've been

803
00:50:15,680 --> 00:50:18,720
trying to help them cope better
with stress have worked.

804
00:50:24,560 --> 00:50:26,480
We've tested them again,

805
00:50:26,480 --> 00:50:30,920
and our stress expert Professor Anna
Whittaker has assessed the results.

806
00:50:35,160 --> 00:50:37,320
First up is single mum Paulette.

807
00:50:37,320 --> 00:50:40,680
You all right? Yes, thank you.

808
00:50:40,680 --> 00:50:44,240
When we look at your questionnaire
results, they're really interesting,

809
00:50:44,240 --> 00:50:46,440
so before you started
all the interventions,

810
00:50:46,440 --> 00:50:48,720
you had very high
perceived stress... Yes.

811
00:50:48,720 --> 00:50:52,640
..in terms of how
you were feeling you could cope.
That's gone down a lot.

812
00:50:52,640 --> 00:50:54,800
Your positive mood has increased,

813
00:50:54,800 --> 00:50:57,560
your negative mood
has decreased massively.

814
00:50:57,560 --> 00:51:03,200
I've been eating different as well,
so I'm feeling a lot better in
myself, yes, and I have lost weight!

815
00:51:03,200 --> 00:51:08,320
So, all round,
it's a bit of a new Paulette.
It is helping me a lot, yes.

816
00:51:08,320 --> 00:51:11,200
Next is courier Steve.

817
00:51:12,200 --> 00:51:15,920
So Steve, looking at your cortisol,
you've got a very nice healthy

818
00:51:15,920 --> 00:51:19,600
awakening response and then
coming down to much lower
levels during the day.

819
00:51:19,600 --> 00:51:21,280
In terms of the questionnaire,

820
00:51:21,280 --> 00:51:26,800
you had acute stress as part of
your job, but in terms of chronic
stress, you had quite low levels,

821
00:51:26,800 --> 00:51:29,840
and those have stayed nice and low,
so that's great.

822
00:51:29,840 --> 00:51:33,120
What do you think's
particularly helped?
I know you've been exercising more,

823
00:51:33,120 --> 00:51:34,800
you've been watching
your diet a bit.

824
00:51:34,800 --> 00:51:39,480
I feel that the mindfulness
is probably the most helpful
aspect of the whole thing.

825
00:51:39,480 --> 00:51:45,240
It gives you a kind of suit
of armour to wear against
potential stress situations.

826
00:51:46,800 --> 00:51:49,840
And, finally, it's plumber Andy.

827
00:51:49,840 --> 00:51:53,800
Andy! Yep. You're looking pleased
with yourself! Yeah.

828
00:51:53,800 --> 00:51:57,520
Feeling a bit better.
So, you and I went round the market.

829
00:51:57,520 --> 00:52:01,880
The diet change helped a bit? Yes,
it has. Yeah. It definitely has.

830
00:52:01,880 --> 00:52:04,080
I take more food to work, most days,

831
00:52:04,080 --> 00:52:08,680
so I take three packed lunch boxes -
just veg, rice and chicken.

832
00:52:08,680 --> 00:52:12,120
It's all right, yeah. Good. Good.

833
00:52:12,120 --> 00:52:15,000
So, do you think
the interventions have helped you?

834
00:52:15,000 --> 00:52:18,920
Yeah, it has helped, and my
mindfulness, like, the...the...

835
00:52:18,920 --> 00:52:24,000
Just taking time out.
It is a good thing.

836
00:52:24,000 --> 00:52:26,640
The really good news
is the questionnaire data.

837
00:52:26,640 --> 00:52:28,520
I mean, your perceived stress,

838
00:52:28,520 --> 00:52:31,080
which is how do you feel about
your day-to-day and how do you

839
00:52:31,080 --> 00:52:34,200
feel about coping with it, that's
nearly halved. OK, that's good.

840
00:52:34,200 --> 00:52:36,800
Your anxiety's dropped -
nearly halved as well.

841
00:52:36,800 --> 00:52:39,720
Your positive mood's increased,
your negative mood's decreased. Hm.

842
00:52:39,720 --> 00:52:42,640
So, has this encouraged you to
carry on doing what you're doing?

843
00:52:42,640 --> 00:52:45,720
Oh, yeah, definitely going to carry
on. You are going to be so laidback.

844
00:52:45,720 --> 00:52:49,920
I hope so. Be nice.
Andy, thank you very much.

845
00:52:49,920 --> 00:52:54,160
So, despite our volunteers
having lots they can't control

846
00:52:54,160 --> 00:52:57,760
in their lives, changing a few
habits they can control

847
00:52:57,760 --> 00:53:00,960
has had a big impact
on their wellbeing.

848
00:53:04,320 --> 00:53:08,480
The volunteers' results
are encouraging, but I've been

849
00:53:08,480 --> 00:53:11,880
worrying about the effect
that stress has had on my body.

850
00:53:11,880 --> 00:53:13,880
A couple of weeks ago,

851
00:53:13,880 --> 00:53:16,800
I had a blood sample taken
and scientists here

852
00:53:16,800 --> 00:53:19,480
at Newcastle University's
Institute of Ageing

853
00:53:19,480 --> 00:53:22,680
have been busy working away
looking at my white blood cells

854
00:53:22,680 --> 00:53:26,480
to see if stress has taken its toll.

855
00:53:26,480 --> 00:53:29,000
I'm not looking forward
to finding out the results.

856
00:53:30,520 --> 00:53:34,600
We often blame stress for
making us visibly age faster,

857
00:53:34,600 --> 00:53:38,440
giving us wrinkles
and making our hair go grey.

858
00:53:38,440 --> 00:53:44,160
But Professor Thomas von Zglinicki
studies how stress ages us
on the inside,

859
00:53:44,160 --> 00:53:46,520
how it can actually affect our DNA.

860
00:53:46,520 --> 00:53:51,520
We've measured the length of
your telomeres. What, telomeres...?

861
00:53:51,520 --> 00:53:55,800
Telomeres are the ends
of your chromosomes,

862
00:53:55,800 --> 00:54:03,120
so assume that's a chromosome,
and on that there is all your
building plans and maintenance plans

863
00:54:03,120 --> 00:54:06,280
for your body written on that.

864
00:54:06,280 --> 00:54:11,360
Telomeres cap the ends, like this
nice plastic cap does here,

865
00:54:11,360 --> 00:54:16,120
so it doesn't dribble off,
and you can actually show that. OK.

866
00:54:16,120 --> 00:54:17,680
You can look in the microscope,

867
00:54:17,680 --> 00:54:20,600
so the blue guys are
the chromosomes,

868
00:54:20,600 --> 00:54:24,680
the red dot the telomeres,
and if you look at that,

869
00:54:24,680 --> 00:54:30,960
each chromosome end
has one red dot sitting on it.

870
00:54:30,960 --> 00:54:33,640
Just like the plastic tips
on shoelaces,

871
00:54:33,640 --> 00:54:37,520
telomeres have the job of protecting
the ends of our chromosomes,

872
00:54:37,520 --> 00:54:38,840
but chronic stress,

873
00:54:38,840 --> 00:54:43,000
stress that's sustained over a long
period of time can damage them.

874
00:54:43,000 --> 00:54:47,960
I would like to say I'm looking
forward to getting the results,

875
00:54:47,960 --> 00:54:50,000
but I'm really not.

876
00:54:50,000 --> 00:54:52,000
Let's have a look and see. Hm-mm.

877
00:54:53,120 --> 00:54:58,600
Thomas has measured the length
of my telomeres to see
how I compare for my age.

878
00:54:58,600 --> 00:55:02,160
So here on the left is people
with very short telomeres. Hm.

879
00:55:02,160 --> 00:55:06,400
Here on the right is the people
with the very long telomeres.

880
00:55:06,400 --> 00:55:09,320
Now let's see where you are.

881
00:55:09,320 --> 00:55:13,560
There you are. OK.
That is your telomere.

882
00:55:13,560 --> 00:55:15,200
Actually, that's... So you are...

883
00:55:15,200 --> 00:55:17,760
..not as bad as I thought
it would be.

884
00:55:17,760 --> 00:55:19,960
I thought I'd be well to the left.

885
00:55:19,960 --> 00:55:25,520
No, you are clearly better than
average. Better than average? Yes.

886
00:55:25,520 --> 00:55:29,480
I feel like doing a dance! Please!
I won't do that. I won't!

887
00:55:29,480 --> 00:55:31,440
Please dance. But... Oh, gosh.

888
00:55:31,440 --> 00:55:33,600
I'm really surprised at that,

889
00:55:33,600 --> 00:55:37,280
because I wander around every day
with my stomach lurching,

890
00:55:37,280 --> 00:55:41,640
I'm always dashing from one place to
another, I'm cramming things in,

891
00:55:41,640 --> 00:55:44,440
I've got teenagers with all
the stress that that brings.

892
00:55:44,440 --> 00:55:50,320
If I make a guess, I would say
you might be reasonably well

893
00:55:50,320 --> 00:55:55,760
in dealing with stress,
so you don't let it overwhelm you.

894
00:55:55,760 --> 00:55:57,920
So it's about managing it?

895
00:55:57,920 --> 00:56:02,240
It's about managing it
and balancing it, yes. Yeah.

896
00:56:02,240 --> 00:56:03,800
According to Thomas,

897
00:56:03,800 --> 00:56:07,640
the state of my telomeres
indicates that through eating well,

898
00:56:07,640 --> 00:56:12,240
exercising and changing my work/life
balance, I haven't caused

899
00:56:12,240 --> 00:56:17,000
any long-term damage to my health,
and that is a big relief.

900
00:56:19,240 --> 00:56:20,960
So, at the end of all this,

901
00:56:20,960 --> 00:56:23,840
I now know why we have
an acute stress reaction

902
00:56:23,840 --> 00:56:26,520
and how it's designed
to protect us...

903
00:56:26,520 --> 00:56:28,000
Oh, my God!

904
00:56:28,000 --> 00:56:31,360
..why we reach for sugary snacks
when we're stressed and what foods

905
00:56:31,360 --> 00:56:34,040
would actually be better for us...

906
00:56:34,040 --> 00:56:37,280
Full of antioxidants,
very protective.

907
00:56:37,280 --> 00:56:41,360
..and that some stress
might not be so bad after all.

908
00:56:41,360 --> 00:56:44,200
In fact, it could have
potential health benefits.

909
00:56:44,200 --> 00:56:49,080
I've also found out how to control
and harness stress to my advantage.

910
00:56:49,080 --> 00:56:51,200
I feel excited!

911
00:56:52,560 --> 00:56:54,920
Aaah!

912
00:56:56,360 --> 00:56:58,760
So, stress is a complex,

913
00:56:58,760 --> 00:57:03,160
powerful yet perfectly natural
response to everyday situations.

914
00:57:03,160 --> 00:57:06,520
Although sometimes we might
experience length periods

915
00:57:06,520 --> 00:57:10,000
of stress or chronic stress,
we can learn to limit the damage

916
00:57:10,000 --> 00:57:13,280
by using diet,
exercise and mindfulness.

917
00:57:13,280 --> 00:57:18,120
The truth about stress is, if we
learn to recognise acute stress

918
00:57:18,120 --> 00:57:23,080
and use it to our advantage,
we are in control.