The Stress Solution: 4 key insights from BBC’s ‘Doctor in The House’

Best known for his work on BBC’s Doctor in the House and The One Show, Dr. Rangan Chatterjee has become a figurehead for the nation’s daily health and wellbeing in recent years.

We’re delighted to announce that Dr. Chatterjee will be joining us as one of our keynote speakers at this year’s Symposium. Ahead of his appearance, we’ve taken some time to dig a little deeper into his thoughts on managing the stresses of work and home life.

Here are four practical insights we’ve handpicked from the doctor himself, along with a brief interpretation that could prove valuable to anybody looking to optimise their health and lifestyle. Each point covers one of the four key pillars of our physical and psychological wellbeing: body, mind, purpose and relationships.

Body: Fix your sleeping pattern

We all like a lie-in from time to time, though it really pays to wake up at roughly the same time every day, even on weekends. This helps to keep your natural body clock and circadian rhythms consistent, in turn regulating your sleep-wake cycle, hormone release, eating habits and digestion. 

Light can be a big factor too. Try to expose yourself to bright, natural light every morning, and avoid blue light (TV, mobile or computer screens) in the hours before you go to bed.

Mind: Meditate for at least 5 minutes every day

Meditation is one of those things that people know could make a difference in their lives, yet they struggle to develop into a habit. Most of us will know the feeling of frustration at not being able to switch off, or getting restless if we’re not immediately able to relax and zone out in the way we expect.

The fact is that meditation requires practice. A person who can’t swim wouldn’t expect to jump straight in the pool and suddenly be able to glide effortlessly from one end to the other – and the same applies here. Set yourself a target of meditating 5 minutes a day for one week. It might also be worth investing in an app or coaching video to develop the technique and form the habit.

Purpose: Start making daily affirmations

Our brains constantly respond and adapt to every bit of information we receive during the day – so it makes sense to prepare and control our thinking in whatever way we can. 

One powerful trick is to repeat affirmations to yourself. It might seem strange at first but making a short, powerful and positive statement of intent is a good way to programme our brains for success. Repeating something as simple as “I’m happy, calm and stress-free” for a minute or so can actually help take us out of stress state and into thrive state relatively quickly.

Relationships: Don’t think that social media replaces being social

Modern life is a juggling act for most of us. Between work, family, kids and personal downtime, it often feels like there’s very little in the tank for anything else. Yet making time to socialise and see friends should never be placed on the back burner for too long.

Keeping in touch with people via text or social media is one thing, but it doesn’t compare with the innate human need to enjoy the company of others in person. A simple trick is to ensure that whenever somebody says the classic ‘we should meet up for a drink at some point’, you pencil in a date in the diary to make it happen.

Just over a month to go!

We can’t wait to welcome Dr Chatterjee to this year’s Symposium where he’ll be sharing plenty more insights on health, wellbeing and combating stress. We’ll also be sending you a few more key updates over the coming weeks in the build-up to 11ᵗʰ September. Keep your eyes peeled on your inbox!