These 2 Small Glands Control Your Stress Response—Here’s What You Need to Know

https://ift.tt/TEcLgip

I’d wager that cortisol has cropped up in at least one conversation you’ve had recently. Perhaps a friend has blamed it for her sleepless nights, or you’ve spotted yet another supplement promising to balance it. Either way, cortisol is fast becoming a celebrity villain of the wellbeing world. But here’s something I hadn’t given quite so much thought to until recently: the adrenal glands. I’ll admit, until a women’s health panel discussion put them on my radar, I hadn’t paid them much attention. We’ve become rather accustomed to talking about cortisol, but what about where it actually comes from?

Sitting just above our kidneys, these small glands have surprisingly big jobs on their hands. As well as producing cortisol, they release other hormones that help regulate blood pressure, metabolism and a whole host of essential bodily functions. So, there’s more to our stress response than the hormone that’s been hogging all the headlines.

With so much on our plates already, perhaps it’s time we paid a little more attention to the glands helping our bodies keep up. Because while feeling shattered, wired or permanently on edge might have become something of a personality trait for many of us, that doesn’t mean we should accept it as business as usual.

I spoke with endocrinologists about the role our adrenal glands play, what happens to the body under prolonged stress, and which symptoms are worth paying attention to. We’ll also be separating medical fact from wellness-world fiction, including the much-debated (and rather controversial) concept of adrenal fatigue.

You’ve Heard of Cortisol. Meet the Glands That Make It

First, what are your adrenal glands—and what do they have to do with cortisol?

“Most of us have two adrenal glands, which are small, pyramid-shaped organs sitting directly on top of our kidneys,” explains Dr Anjali Amin, consultant endocrinologist. “Each one is made up of two distinct parts: an outer layer called the cortex and an inner layer known as the medulla.

“The outer layer (cortex) is responsible for producing cortisol, which is important for salt and blood pressure regulation, and small amounts of sex hormones such as testosterone,” explains Amin. The inner layer produces adrenaline and noradrenaline—the hormones responsible for our fight-or-flight response. So, that sudden rush of adrenaline when something frightens you? Thank you, adrenal glands.

But let’s bring things back to cortisol. Made in the outer layer of the adrenals, this hormone has a much bigger job than helping us respond to stress. “Cortisol regulates almost every body function, including metabolism, blood pressure and how the body responds to stress,” says Amin. Quite the workload.

Of course, the adrenal glands don’t operate entirely on their own. “Their cortisol production is controlled by a communication system between the brain and the adrenal glands, known as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis,” says Amin. A bit of a mouthful, but essentially, it’s the body’s way of making sure cortisol production stays on track. “The hypothalamus in the brain,” continues Amin, “signals the pituitary gland to release a hormone called ACTH. This travels through the bloodstream to the adrenal glands, telling the outer layer (the cortex) to produce cortisol. Once enough cortisol is circulating, a feedback signal tells the brain to ease off production—rather like a thermostat switching off once the room reaches the right temperature.”

In short, your brain issues the instructions, your adrenal glands make the cortisol, and your body has a built-in system to keep the whole operation in check. Teamwork at its best.

@mccallmcpherson

♬ Chilling at Sunrise - The Machinist Beats

What happens to your adrenal glands when you’re under chronic stress?

Cortisol has something of a reputation as the body’s stress villain. The assumption? That constant stress would leave the adrenal glands in overdrive, producing far more cortisol than the body needs. But that’s not quite how it works according to Amin.

“When we’re faced with a short-term stressor, the body’s HPA axis temporarily kicks into action, prompting the adrenal glands to release a little extra cortisol to help us respond. It’s a perfectly normal part of the body’s stress response. But chronic stress is a different story,” says Amin.

Contrary to what some wellness claims might have us believe, prolonged stress doesn’t mean our adrenal glands are endlessly pumping out huge amounts of cortisol, or that they eventually burn out. As Amin explains, chronic stress does not cause your body to spew out huge amounts of cortisol, nor does it cause your adrenal glands to fail.

That’s not to say prolonged stress has no effect. “Rather than sending cortisol levels permanently soaring,” says Amin, “it can disrupt the body’s usual daily rhythm, potentially flattening your body’s morning peak or evening dip.” So the issue isn’t necessarily that your adrenal glands are working overtime; it’s that the body’s carefully choreographed cortisol routine can become less predictable.

It’s a reminder that our stress hormones aren’t quite as straightforward as they might seem. A 2024 review of 12 studies, published in Psychoneuroendocrinology, found no clear link between people’s usual daily cortisol patterns and how much cortisol they released in response to a one-off stressful situation. In other words, there’s more to the story than simply measuring how much cortisol we’re producing.

Low cortisol explained: what happens when your adrenal glands aren’t producing enough? The symptoms to look out for

We’ve talked about what happens when stress affects our cortisol levels, but what about the other side of the coin? What if your body isn’t producing enough?

First, let’s put this into perspective: “Genuine adrenal failure is very rare,” says Niamh Martin, Professor of Endocrinology at Imperial College London. “It can happen when the adrenal glands aren’t working properly, or when the pituitary gland—which sits at the base of the brain—fails to send them the signals they need to produce cortisol.”

When the adrenal glands are the problem, adds Amin, the condition is known as Addison’s disease, an autoimmune condition in which the body’s immune system attacks the adrenal cortex. “This damages the part of the glands responsible for producing cortisol and aldosterone, another hormone that helps regulate salt levels and blood pressure. This is the main cause of adrenal failure in the UK.”

But how would you know if something wasn’t quite right? This is where things get a little more nuanced. “Symptoms such as fatigue and muscle weakness can be associated with adrenal failure, but they’re also incredibly common in people whose adrenal glands are working perfectly well,” explains Martin.

Essentially, feeling exhausted doesn’t automatically mean your cortisol levels are low, and it’s important not to jump to conclusions. That said, there are some tell-tale signs doctors will be looking out for.

@clairethenutritionist

♬ original sound - ClaireTheNutritionist

The symptoms of adrenal failure to be aware of:

• Severe, persistent fatigue: Tiredness that feels extreme and out of proportion to your usual day-to-day exhaustion.
• Dizziness or low blood pressure: Particularly when standing up, sometimes causing light-headedness or fainting.
• Nausea, tummy pain and unexplained weight loss: You may also notice a reduced appetite.
• Skin darkening: Sometimes described as an unexplained tan, this can be particularly noticeable in skin creases, around the mouth or on areas such as the elbows.
• Salt cravings: This can occur because low aldosterone levels cause the kidneys to lose more sodium than they should.

These signs aren’t exclusive to adrenal failure, so having one or more doesn’t mean you have the condition. If symptoms persist or concern you, speak to your GP, who can arrange further tests if needed.

Adrenal Fatigue: Can Stress Really Exhaust Your Adrenal Glands?

Before we wrap up this adrenal gland deep dive, there’s one rather persistent wellness claim we wanted to get to the bottom of: adrenal fatigue. A quick scroll through TikTok reveals a plethora of videos claiming that stress can leave your adrenal glands exhausted, depleted and desperately in need of a reset. But is there any truth to it?

To Amin, the answer is pretty clear: “Adrenal fatigue isn’t a scientifically recognised medical condition." Chronic stress doesn’t cause your adrenal glands to become tired, worn out or stop producing cortisol. As she puts it, adrenal glands “either work or they don’t.”

A systematic review published in the BMC Endocrine Disorders journal found no scientific evidence to support adrenal fatigue as a genuine medical condition. So, while the term might be popular in wellness circles, it doesn’t have the medical research to back it up.

That’s not to say the symptoms people associate with adrenal fatigue aren’t genuine. “Persistent exhaustion, poor sleep and feeling generally run down are very real experiences, but that doesn’t mean tired adrenal glands are to blame. Poor sleep and shift work, for example, can disrupt the body’s natural cortisol rhythm, while issues such as low iron stores or thyroid disorders can also leave you feeling utterly wiped out,” says Amin.

One final word of caution: Amin advises against spending money on at-home saliva or cortisol testing kits. “Cortisol naturally fluctuates throughout the day, so results without proper clinical context can be misleading—and may cause more worry than they’re worth.”

How to support your adrenal health: three expert tips

First things first: there’s no magic food, supplement or morning routine to directly ‘boost’, detox, or optimise your adrenal glands. As we’ve established, the brain and the adrenal glands work together through a finely tuned, regulated system, so there’s no need to go chasing another complicated wellness protocol. What matters is giving our bodies the care they need to maintain a healthy daily rhythm.

Nutritionist and author of Everything I Know About Cortisol, Hannah Alderson shares five simple places to start:

1. Don’t skip breakfast. Aim for a nourishing mix of protein, healthy fats, and fibre, such as eggs on seeded toast or Greek yoghurt with berries, nuts, and seeds.
2. Think nourishment, not restriction. Fill your plate with colourful plants, wholegrains, quality protein, nuts and oily fish.
3. Be mindful of caffeine. Enjoy your coffee, but try having it after food and keep an eye on how much—and how late—you’re drinking it.
4. Get outside in the morning. Natural daylight, consistent sleep times and a calming evening routine can help support your body’s natural rhythms.
5. Make room for recovery. Walking, gentle movement, socialising and even 10 minutes away from your to-do list can all help.

Ultimately, there’s no need to chase the latest (and ever-evolving) adrenal-boosting trend. Our adrenal glands either work or they don’t; what matters is looking after the body they support.

@wellenoughpodcast

♬ original sound - Well Enough

Take a breather: shop feel-good finds

Jellycat Amuseables Peanut Yeti Outfit Soft Toy

If there’s one small purchase guaranteed to give your mood a rather huge lift, it’s a visit to the Jellycat section. This little peanut in a full yeti get-up is the sort of wonderfully ridiculous find that gives you an instant mood boost.

TALA Lace Trim Pyjama Top

Next on the list, whenever a little pick-me-up is in order? A fresh pair of pyjamas. Finished with delicate lace trim, TALA’s polkadot PJs make getting ready for bed feel like a treat in itself.

BIODANCE Refreshing Sea Kelp Deep Masks

These Biodance sea kelp masks are a lovely addition to an at-home pampering evening. Pop one on and enjoy a rare 20 minutes when nobody needs anything from you.

from Latest from Marie Claire UK https://ift.tt/va2cxFd
via IFTTT

I Love Being a Mother, But I Hate Having to Fight for My Child on a Daily Basis

https://ift.tt/PIf5bm6

I knew my expectations of motherhood were slightly unrealistic when I had to Google ‘can you die of sleep deprivation’ on day two. But even then, I thought once we got through the baby years, I’d get to the life I’d imagined—swimming lessons and long Sunday lunches in the pub with toddlers colouring in the corner. There would be school clubs, and we’d have big family holidays with our friends and their kids.

I have now learned so much of parenting is out of your control. I’ve learned this over and over again. When I noticed my son wasn’t the same as the other toddlers. When the nursery asked me if I’d seen any issues. When I was referred to the GP and later a hospital consultant. When we finally got a diagnosis that I already knew was correct.

Motherhood is a lot of work for everyone, but with one child with additional needs—my son has autism and sensory and coordination needs—and one without, I know parenting a disabled child comes with a huge amount more physical, emotional and mental labour.

Annabel Lee reflects on the invisible labour, challenges and unexpected joys of raising a child with additional needs. (Image credit: Alexander Greene Studios)

There’s the additional caregiving because your child has higher needs, and because it’s hard to find clubs or childcare they can access. Plus, there’s the extra mental load. As a friend who also has children with additional needs said, “People don’t see the constant work you are doing behind the scenes.” I’ve usually done a mental risk assessment, checked accessibility and calculated whether a trip is worth it before we’ve even left the house.

I’m always considering behaviour, social norms and potential judgement. This means I’m in a state of high alert and hyper-vigilance all the time, so it’s hard to relax or enjoy things. I’ve taken to adopting a kind of clown-meets-Zen-master persona. While inside I’m sweating, on the verge of a panic attack and thinking everyone is looking at us, outwardly I’m smiling, projecting a sense of calm and brushing off weird looks.

Then there’s the stressful unpaid admin of parenting a disabled child. The special education needs and disabilities system is a minefield and requires a vast amount of time and energy to navigate. It’s like learning a foreign language—everything becomes an initialism or acronym, and there are so many meetings, forms and emails. Studies show the system is in crisis, and long-awaited reforms have just been delayed again, leaving many parents anxious about whether and how they can access support.

At times, it feels like the system is designed to make you give up; a whistleblower confirmed as much, revealing to ITV that “superiors would joke about the ways they can deny support to children and how they want to deny more children access.”

There is a real threat of invisibility—that you become defined by your child and are so busy supporting them with school or admin that you lose other parts of yourself.

Like any parent, I want my child to get an education, have fun and experience the world, and it’s upsetting when it feels like you are fighting for every aspect of this.

I love being a mother, and I feel a huge amount of gratitude for the funny, loving children I have. At the same time, I hate that constantly having to fight and advocate for one of my children threatens to turn me into someone who is neurotic, stressed and burnt out.

Plus, I’d much rather be having fun or doing almost anything else than spending hours hunched over my laptop chasing emails or sitting in school meeting rooms during my spare time. When professionals call me ‘mum’ rather than my name during these meetings, it feels like my soul has left my body and I cease to exist as a rational, professional, competent person in my own right.

There is a real threat of invisibility—that you become defined by your child and are so busy supporting them with school or admin that you lose other parts of yourself.

Many mothers of disabled children are forced to cut down or give up work as a result. Research from disability charity Sense found one in five parents of disabled children have left work altogether, while the Trade Union Congress found women are seven times more likely than men to be out of work due to caring commitments. No matter what you do, you feel guilty about working, not working or taking any time for yourself.

57% of parent carers struggle to find accessible holiday clubs.

Research by disability charity Sense

I often talk with another friend who has a child with additional needs about how we don’t want this to become our entire personality. We are multifaceted human beings with jobs, lives and other children. We are not perfect or inherently good at caring because we have disabled children; we are just trying our best with the things available to us.

Having a disabled child can expose gaps in your relationship. People make odd comments, use outdated language or give unhelpful parenting advice—he won’t grow out of it, and no, I don’t think an infrared sauna will help. It can be hurtful when it’s people you love.

Other people don’t understand why certain activities like theme parks or shopping trips aren’t accessible and either aren’t prepared to change their plans to accommodate you or stop inviting you to things. Sadly, as much as I’d love to, we can’t come to street fairs or busy Christmas markets as a family, and my dreams of big group pub lunches never came true.

My friend finds social media overwhelming because you see what other people are doing and there’s a huge amount of content about what you ‘should’ do for a child with additional needs like diets, screen-time tips and parenting styles.

Occasionally I hear people talking about things they’ve done with their family and feel a brief stab of envy. But I’ve come to realise all children and families are so completely different that there is no point comparing. I won’t engage in parenting Olympics or use other families as a yardstick for my own, and it’s been a relief to disengage from any sense of family life being a competition.

You might think life closes in when you have a child with additional needs, but in my experience, it opens up.

I find myself worrying about my son’s future—will he finish school, get a job, ever move out or cope without me—but one of the best bits of advice I read in the early days of my son’s diagnosis in a forum about parenting a child with additional needs was to focus on their experience in the moment. Am I projecting my own views about what his life should be like? Or is he happy and safe now? Usually, the answer is yes, so that’s all that matters. After years of overthinking and anxiety, this has been an excellent lesson in mindfulness and living in the moment.

Having a child with additional needs has taught me to embrace the clown persona and see the funny side of things—you’ll either laugh, or you’ll cry, and it’s easier to navigate the world when you take everything less seriously. My son asking a group of teenagers why they were vaping or asking a group of soldiers in the Remembrance Day parade if their guns were real were pretty funny moments.

It’s also opened my eyes to accessibility and equity—I never thought about access requirements or how sensory elements like sound and crowds can affect someone’s experience. I feel enraged by systemic failures, like huge waiting times for support, and thousands of children being unable to access the right education for them.

I feel less judgmental and more empathetic toward other people and their experiences. And I feel more aware of the fundamentally human quality of care and know that while it might not feel glamorous in the moment, caring is one of the most important things you can do for other people.

The experience has changed my expectations of parenting—I now expect it to be hard and brilliant and exhausting and fun and frustrating all at the same time. You might think life closes in when you have a child with additional needs, but in my experience, it opens up. There’s more to feel and think about. You learn to expect the unexpected, to juggle the additional work and responsibility, and to have more capacity to love and care and think about people outside yourself than you thought possible. Just not during a long Sunday lunch at the pub.

from Latest from Marie Claire UK https://ift.tt/tWTsRHf
via IFTTT

These 3 Belt Styles Are Defining AW26—Here Are the Styles To Choose and What to Wear Them With

https://ift.tt/abupx08

It’s been a long time since a belt was considered purely a practical accessory, but things have progressed so far, so fast, that it’s not an understatement to suggest that it’s now the accessory. A silk scarf is good. An It bag is great. But there’s something about the belt’s ability to offer support and make a statement that means it’s simply in a category all of its own as we enter Autumn/Winter 26. There are day belts and evening belts; functional belts and fancy belts, but in order to properly set you on a path to achieving belt-adjacent greatness, we’ve picked the ultimate three styles for this season below.

Medallion

Givenchy SS27, Altuzarra AW26, Celine AW26 (Image credit: Launchmetrics)

Celine’s Medallion belt has not only become a house icon under Michael Rider, it’s also cast the accessory as something of a ‘must-have’ for luxury retailers. Medallion belts are on offer at Burberry, too, where they are reversible for extra versatility, while at Dior, the polished medallion bears the maison’s new logo under Jonathan Anderson. Givenchy, meanwhile, sent medallion belts, complete with oversized circular buckle that doubles as a functional makeup compact, down its catwalk for Spring/Summer 27, with a double-wrapped detail to its leather that offset knee-length pleated skirts to perfection. You can get logo-less versions at high street and contemporary brands if you’re looking for something a little more anonymous (Loeffler Randall’s is my personal favourite).

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Zara

100% Leather Belt

Celine

Ellipse Belt 13

H&M

Belt

Loeffler Randall

Hugo Plaque Belt

Burberry

Reversible Leather Belt

Dior

Médaillon Belt

Western

Polo Ralph Lauren AW26, TWP AW26, Chloé AW26 (Image credit: Launchmetrics)

For Autumn/Winter 26, Polo Ralph Lauren’s coats were cinched between the waist and hip with concho belts. This Native American piece of jewellery features silver discs set with turquoise stones and strung onto a length of leather. Appearing in several outfits that also included cowboy hats, ‘Western’ belts are more than a fashion statement. “Like America itself, ‘Western Wear’ is a blend of influences,” according to an article in Teen Vogue, which draws on, “Native American designs and materials, Mexican vaquero style, Black American cowboy and even immigrant influences.” Déhanche’s Santo belt has a “jewellery-like buckle” that is Western-inspired, with intricate carvings, as well as silver and 24k gold-plated accents, that would look sublime with faded, lived-in denim.

(Image credit: Launchmetrics)

Déhanche

Santo Belt

Ba&Sh

Belt Bumb

Wrangler

Oversized Buckle Belt

TWP

Vachetta Leather Belt

Polo Ralph Lauren

Metal Accent Belt

Rixo x Bay Garnett

Stacie Leather Belt

Black With Hardware

Celine AW26, Balenciaga AW26, Chanel AW26 (Image credit: Launchmetrics)

You can’t beat a black leather belt with subtle (or not so subtle) hardware, which you can either thread around the waistband of your trousers or use to whittle the waist of a wool blazer (try flicking the collar up). Look for belts with a patent finish, a mock-croc texture or contrast stitching if you want something that will add polished details to whatever you’re wearing or, conversely, pick a belt that’s so timeless, and so well-made, that it will only get better with age as the leather softens (The Row’s takes our top prize for its classic appeal).

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Déhanche

Hollyhock Leather Belt

COS

Croc-Effect Belt

Toteme

Slim Leather Belt

By Malene Birger

Ouma Leather Belt

Hush

Zinnia Western Belt

The Row

Classic Leather Belt

from Latest from Marie Claire UK https://ift.tt/850ASJY
via IFTTT

2-Minutes Each Morning is All You Need to Boost Your Mood and Improve Your Day

https://ift.tt/I39FTUh

There’s something about a winter morning. In theory, they’re crisp, bright and full of wonder, and we’re all warming our hands with steamy breath as we make our merry way. The reality, of course, is rather different.

As a mid-life mum of three, it’s safe to say that my nervous system kicks in the millisecond my alarm goes off every day. I’m instantly launched into fight or flight, cortisol raging and heart racing.

I know I’m not alone: studies (such as this one) show that working mothers experience significantly higher morning cortisol levels (tell us something we don't know!) But that’s not the whole story. Research also shows that mood actually peaks in the morning, ironically, before dipping around lunchtime—meaning that morning mindset sets the tone for your whole day. Gives new importance to the phrase ‘start as you mean to go on’, doesn’t it?

So I made it my mission to calm those cortisol spikes in the simplest, most time-efficient way possible (because my morning does not need another chore on its to-do list). The method? Two-minute morning mood boosters for an all-day win. Could just a couple of moments in the am really lift my spirits and improve my focus? Only one way to find out.

Of course, I’ve captured all the details for you below, but for more inspiration, read our brilliant guides on how to find joy, the best five-minute meditations, why we should be using joy as a wellness metric and our favourite low-effort wellness habits here.

I Tried Starting Every Morning With These Two-Minute Mood Boosters—Here’s Why I Think You Should Too

What are two-minute morning mood boosters?

As wellness hacks go, the two-minute morning mood booster is one of the simplest. The idea is to spend just two minutes of your morning (ideally first thing, but the point is not to be too prescriptive here) doing something that brings you joy, lifts your mood and promotes calm.

“A morning mood booster is a small, intentional ritual that shapes how you feel before the day begins,” explains meditation and yoga teacher and the founder of MOOD, Lauren Parmar. “Often we wake up and reach for our phones when we’ve barely even opened our eyes. Before we know it, we’re already feeling anxious and dysregulated, triggered by our inbox or another news story.

“Starting your day with a two-minute ritual is a beautiful way to take your power back and transform your mood before the day begins. Our mornings often set the tone for the day that follows, so I like to think of this as a little practice to select the state and energy you want to occupy before life takes over.”

We're talking small practices such as breathwork, movement, stepping outside and affirmations—but you can improvise. It’s about what works for you.

@cariwilliamson_

♬ The Kite Luisa Marion - Luisa Marion

What are the benefits of two-minute morning mood boosters?

Wondering if it’s worth setting aside a little of your time for these mood boosters? There are some legitimate wellbeing benefits to spending two minutes on yourself first thing.

1. They encourage intention

“Our mornings can often begin in a state of reaction,” says Carliann Langley, yin yoga therapist and wellbeing expert. “We reach for our phones, look at our emails and immediately start thinking about everything we need to do.”

“Mood boosters give us an opportunity to interrupt that automatic pattern. They encourage us to be more intentional about how we start the day, reconnect with our bodies and create moments of pleasure, calm or connection before the demands of everyday life take over.”

2. They signal safety

Constantly anxious and stuck in fight-or-flight? Two-minute mood boosters might be the circuit breaker your nervous system is craving.

“A few slow breaths or a moment of stillness sends a signal to your nervous system that it’s safe,” explains Parmar. “When we train ourselves to recognise and move out of fight or flight, into rest and digest, it can help to restore mental clarity and focus, and help us to cultivate a feeling of inner safety.”

3. They improve mood and mindset

“When we get intentional about how we want to feel and what we want for our day, we are much more likely to notice it,” explains certified business psychologist and founder Dr Lynda Holt. “This is because your brain is actively looking for the things you focus on, so we can literally set ourselves up for a good day (or a bad day) depending on what we are thinking about. Most of us leave this entirely to chance, but morning mood boosters help you to stay focused on what you want rather than what’s wrong.”

4. They boost self worth

“The deeper benefit of two-minute mood boosters is about identity,” says Parmar. She suggests thinking of it like this: “Every small ritual is a vote for who you’re becoming. Prioritising even small moments of joy and pleasure in the morning is an amazing way to build high levels of self-trust and self-worth.”

5. They enhance energy

Many of us try to feel good from the outside in—the right outfit, makeup and skincare routine—according to Parmar. “While those things can be great, real radiance comes from the inside out,” she explains. “When you start the day with loving thoughts, gratitude and a sense of connection to your body, it shows on the outside, and people can feel it in your energy.”

@lykkenaenfeldt

♬ Life’s Incredible Again (Original Mix) - Gasteiz Big Band & Gasteiz Big Band

How can we incorporate two-minute morning mood boosters into our routines?

While you can adapt this practice to suit you, the experts are clear that it shouldn’t become another stick to beat yourself with. Once it starts feeling like something you have to do, it loses its power entirely.

“A mantra I love to live by is devotion over discipline,” says Parmar. “I like to think of these rituals as an act of devotion to the person I want to be. When we try to force ourselves into a routine, it starts to feel like a chore, and when we miss a day, we end up feeling guilty about it. Devotion is gentler and far more powerful. You’re not ticking a box for the sake of it; you’re giving yourself a moment of joy and pleasure that you can actually look forward to.”

“The easiest way to begin is to find what makes you feel good and see it as a little gift to yourself. Decide the night before what you will do the next day, so there’s nothing to think about in the morning, because you already know which mood booster you’ve chosen.”

@jihoon

Do these things and I promise you’ll become happier and more productive!

♬ original sound - Jihoon

My honest thoughts on using two-minute mood boosters

Even though I spend my days writing about wellness and self-care, I’m notoriously poor at prioritising my own mental health (the irony is not lost on me). But I’m confident that I can find two minutes in my morning to test out a few mood boosters.

First things first, deciding which ones to try. I’m going with a gratitude jar, intentional breathing, mirror affirmations and stepping into daylight, figuring that I can try each one a few times before deciding whether they’ve actually helped. It feels achievable, which is a huge factor for me, given that it’s touch-and-go whether my kids have clean clothes each morning.

The gratitude jar

The idea is simple: you write something you’re grateful for on a small piece of paper, pop it in a glass jar and pull one out at random whenever you need a little boost.

“One of my personal favourites is finding one simple thing to be grateful for each morning,” says wellbeing expert Deborah Bulcock. “It might be something incredibly ordinary, but taking a moment to acknowledge it can help shift our attention towards the positives rather than immediately focusing on our to-do list or what might be worrying us.”

We know that practising gratitude can be powerful for mental health, with studies showing it can boost self-esteem, improve sleep and reduce anxiety and depression.

After a few days of trialling this, I can safely say that I’m fully on board. Rather than immediately jumping into my mental to-do list first thing, I’m stopping and pausing, and I can honestly feel my mood lift. The glimmers really are there, if you look for them.

@alissa.ashley

♬ Lady Lady - Olivia Dean

Intentional breathing

I’ll be honest, breathwork and I have a complicated relationship, but recently I’ve been working on the habit—and I can confirm it gets easier.

Being a woman of a certain age, I can be prone to waking up with a start at 4am, heart racing and palms sweating, nervous system primed for attack. I’m not exaggerating when I say that practising breathwork in these moments has proved transformational for me, so I’m confident that spending two minutes activating my parasympathetic nervous system each morning will help boost calm.

In fact, all it takes is a few slow inhales (a count of four), a hold and a slow exhale (a count of six) to settle my heart rate and make me feel more in control. Another quick win.

@earthto_hannah

Your breath can literally cool your nervous system. Sitali pranayama is known as the “cooling breath” for a reason. By inhaling through the tongue and exhaling through the nose, you activate parasympathetic pathways that help regulate body temperature, heart rate, and stress response. Physiologically, this breath increases moisture and airflow across the tongue and oral cavity, which sends signals through the vagus nerve to down-regulate sympathetic activation, shifting you out of fight-or-flight and into rest-and-repair. This is especially supportive when you feel overheated overstimulated emotionally reactive or mentally restless It’s not just symbolic cooling. It’s neurological. How to practice Sitali: 𖦹 Gently curl your tongue into a tube (or part your lips if you can’t curl it) 𖦹 Slowly inhale through the tongue, feeling the cool air enter 𖦹 Close the mouth 𖦹 Exhale slowly through the nose 𖦹 Repeat for 5–10 rounds You may notice your heart rate soften. Your jaw unclench. Your mind slow down. Your breath is one of the fastest ways to change your internal state.

♬ original sound - Hannah Singer

Mirror affirmations

This is something that was recommended to me by facialist and life coach Anna Miller. The premise is simple: challenge your inner critic, one morning affirmation at a time.

“As women, the way we speak to ourselves can be incredibly negative,” explains Miller. “But it is possible to change the narrative. Every morning, I spend two minutes at the mirror before the day takes over. I start by noticing how I’m feeling in my skin, then pay attention to the little voice that’s already niggling away. I don’t argue with it, I simply notice it.”

“Then, I say an affirmation (ideally one I don’t fully believe yet) and seal it with a high five in the mirror. It can feel a bit silly sometimes, but it really works to challenge that inner critic.”

Miller is right: I do feel a little silly to begin with, but she’s also spot on about how powerful it can be to speak to ourselves nicely. My mood is brighter, I feel more confident, and I leave my bathroom with a spring in my step.

@taylorangelini

♬ I've Seen It - Olivia Dean

Stepping into daylight

For the past 13 years, give or take, I’ve been walking at least one of my children to school each morning. But since my youngest is now walking with friends, I’ve found myself slipping into a dangerous little habit of opening up my laptop while still in my PJs, sometimes not seeing the light of day until way past lunchtime.

It’s well documented that exposure to morning light is a simple wellness win, helping to regulate circadian rhythm and wake the body up naturally. For all its benefits, I know that committing to a morning walk every day might just tip my mental capacity over the edge, so I settle for throwing open my bedroom window the second I get out of bed, leaning out and taking in a deep gulp of fresh air.

I’ll be honest: on the days when I don’t have a stupidly early alarm call, this is heaven, but at 6am when it’s pitch dark and freezing, I’m struggling to remember why I’m doing it. So, I compromise and wait until it’s approaching daylight before stepping into the garden for a couple of minutes, and it’s true what the early birds have always told me: dawn really is beautiful.

Does it boost my mood? Yes. Will I continue? Also yes.

Shop mood-boosting buys:

TRUDON La Bougie Classique Candle Fir Scented Candle 270g

Add this Trudon candle to your Christmas wish list this year, and if no one buys it for you, there’s always self gifting. No regrets.

Drowsy Silk Sleep Mask

Good mood mornings start with a great night’s sleep. Drowsy’s sleep masks help you nod off in style.

Free People Long Weekend Pj Set

The perfect PJ set for lounging, sleeping and general chilling. Sounds mood-boosting, right?

How often should we be prioritising two-minute mood boosters?

“There’s no set rule or perfect routine to follow,” advises chartered psychologist Suzy Reading. “It’s more about finding little opportunities throughout the day to do something that lifts your mood or helps you feel more balanced. If you enjoy starting the morning with a particular activity, try to make space for it regularly, but don't worry if some days don’t go to plan. Life happens!

“It’s important that these activities feel like a positive addition to your day that you look forward to, not another source of pressure. Some mornings you might have time for a longer routine, while on others simply taking a few deep breaths or listening to a favourite song might be enough. The most effective mood boosters are the ones that work for you personally and fit effortlessly into your life.”

from Latest from Marie Claire UK https://ift.tt/5IJuwbf
via IFTTT

Beauty Wants to Talk Anti-Consumption. But Can an Industry Built on Selling More Really Change?

https://ift.tt/DCY7gJt

Hailey Bieber is no stranger to making headlines. At Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit in October, however, it wasn’t a beauty trend or new Rhode launch causing a stir. It was a comment the founder made about not being interested in “overconsumption”.

In Bieber’s defence, no one wants to actively encourage waste or excessive consumption. But when your business model relies on people buying products, the statement becomes much more complicated than simply declaring you’re ‘over’ overconsumption.

The internet was quick to call her out. Diet Prada, the fashion criticism account with more than 3 million Instagram followers, laid out what it saw as the disconnect between Rhode’s messaging and its actions. “Problem is, despite the brand’s commitment to the reduction of overconsumption, Rhode isn’t exactly known for sustainable products or practices. From bag charms for your makeup to wasteful PR packaging, talk is cheaper than its $16 pimple patch case,” the account summarised.

“I think she meant well, but perhaps didn’t fully consider the contradiction in what she was saying,” says Ray Hopkinson, producer of the British Beauty Council’s Courage to Change report and founder of purpose-driven PR and talent agency SWAYED. “I agree with the philosophy of creating a few products and doing them exceptionally well, but it’s difficult to reconcile that with things like phone cases with built-in lip gloss holders, released in multiple colourways.”

Hailey Bieber may not have intended to raise a much bigger question, but that’s exactly what happened. Can a beauty brand ever really be anti-overconsumption? And if it can, what does that actually look like?

“Can a brand genuinely advocate against overconsumption while pursuing such ambitious growth?”

It’s an interesting point given what’s happening among consumers themselves. The resurgence of Project Pan, a social media movement encouraging people to finish the beauty products they already own before buying more, suggests that attitudes towards consumption may be changing. Instead of showcasing their latest hauls, creators are documenting their empties, taking stock of overflowing bathroom cabinets and questioning whether they really need another new lipstick.

Rhode has built much of its success on creating desire through limited-edition drops, utilising Bieber's influence and creating viral moments. But that isn’t unique to Rhode; it’s become part of modern beauty marketing. Launches are designed to create urgency. Sell-outs become proof of desirability, creating more and more demand.

And the commercial stakes are considerable. Rhode reportedly generated approximately $390 million in net sales in fiscal 2026, an 80% increase on the previous year, and is now targeting $1 billion in annual sales. It’s an extraordinary achievement, but it also underlines the tension at the heart of this conversation. Can a brand genuinely advocate against overconsumption while pursuing such ambitious growth? Growth doesn’t necessarily have to mean encouraging excess, but it’s difficult to reconcile the two when so much of beauty marketing is designed to make us want something new.

“Beauty has always blurred the boundary between need and want, which is what makes the conversation around overconsumption so complex.”

Hopkinson believes the conversation needs to move beyond virality and social capital and towards the process of how we make purchases. “Anti-consumption is about buying products with emotional durability. It’s a concept I’ve come across in fashion, but it applies just as much to beauty. Will you still want to wear that lipstick in five years, or are you buying it because it’s having a moment?”

Does this place too much responsibility on the consumer? And what about products like soap, toothpaste, SPF and shampoo that aren’t luxuries? They’re part of health and hygiene, and access to basic personal care shouldn’t be considered overconsumption. Somehow, though, essentials have become more than just the basics. Moisturisers are no longer simply moisturisers; they’re formulated for different purposes, with different ingredients, for different times of day. Do we really need them all? And should they all count as essentials? We’ve quickly expanded our idea of what counts as the minimum.

Beauty has always blurred the boundary between need and want, which is what makes the conversation around overconsumption so complex. Who decides where necessity ends and excess begins? And how do they make that call?

If brands genuinely want to position themselves as being against overconsumption, it’s not as simple as releasing fewer products or attempting to formulate the best version of each product category. “I think the bigger question is if you’re advocating for anti-consumption, what friction are you putting in place to encourage people to buy less?,” points out Hopkinson. “Hailey has enormous cultural influence and sets the tempo for consumption, whether she intends to or not. Imitation has long been the highest form of flattery, but at this scale it has environmental consequences.”

The conversation also arrives at an interesting moment for sustainability. Not that long ago, it was a massive part of beauty marketing. Every launch promised more sustainable packaging, responsibly sourced ingredients or lower-carbon production. Today, those conversations don’t feel quite as public as they once were.

“The buzz has faded because sustainability has become table stakes,” says Sarah Brown, founder of skincare brand Pai, a certified B Corp that has long championed sustainable practices and independently certified organic formulation. “Customers expect a brand to have sorted out its packaging. It isn’t news and they won't pay extra for it.”

But there’s a difference between offering more sustainable options and actually changing how people consume. According to the British Beauty Council, the refillable beauty category grew by 22% in 2025, yet actual refill purchases accounted for just 20% of the refillable market. In other words, we’re increasingly buying products designed to be refilled, but we’re not necessarily refilling them. It’s a telling example of how even well-intentioned sustainability initiatives can fall short when consumer behaviour doesn’t follow.

“We’re increasingly buying products designed to be refilled, but we’re not necessarily refilling them.”

Brown also points to regulation and how this has impacted the conversation. “Under the EU’s new packaging regulation, which came into effect in August, all packaging has to be recyclable by 2030. But there’s no marketing message in complying with the rules. For example, nobody would advertise that they no longer test on animals because that’s just become expected.”

Perhaps that’s exactly where sustainability is heading: not as a marketing campaign, but as a baseline expectation, which can only be a positive for the beauty industry—as long as it’s monitored.

Ultimately, a beauty brand cannot exist without encouraging some consumption. But Brown believes change is possible, provided the industry acts. “It will take four things: One, influencers have to champion it. Two, retailers need to set some standards of curation that provide a platform for responsible brands. Three, governments have to mandate it, and across Europe they’re already doing that. Four, leading brands have to show by example that you can be sustainable and be cool.”

And maybe that’s the good thing to emerge from Hailey Bieber’s comments. They didn’t necessarily convince people that Rhode, or Bieber herself, was against overconsumption. But they did reignite a conversation the beauty industry has been rather quiet about. With Black Friday just around the corner and our inboxes flooded with offers encouraging us to buy things we never knew we needed, perhaps there’s no better time to question how much beauty we really need.

from Latest from Marie Claire UK https://ift.tt/v2yW4dr
via IFTTT

I Tried a Walking App to Break My Mindless Scrolling Habit—And It Changed My Relationship With My Phone

https://ift.tt/uaF6ksP

The idea for this feature came from a rather uncomfortable realisation, and one I suspect I’m far from alone in. I spend an extraordinary amount of time looking at my phone. On the train, walking between meetings, waiting for a coffee or simply getting from A to B, I’ve developed a habit of filling practically every spare moment with screen time. On the rare occasions I do look up, I’m usually met with rows of fellow commuters, their faces also illuminated by the familiar glow of their smartphones. At least I’m in good company.

The irony is that I’ve always considered myself a walking person. Living in London, clocking up 10,000 steps a day is often the norm, and between walking my dog, commuting and generally getting around the city, I spend a fair amount of time on my feet. But despite all those steps, I’ve had to admit something rather embarrassing: I’m barely taking any of my surroundings in. There have been occasions when I’ve arrived at my destination without any real recollection of the journey there, having spent the entire time flicking between Instagram, TikTok, emails and whatever else the algorithm has decided I simply must see.

As a Health Writer, the irony isn’t lost on me. I take my morning routine seriously and kicked the habit of scrolling first thing years ago. But when it comes to commuting? I’m like a kid in a sweet shop. A 20-minute train journey is an opportunity to consume an entire week's worth of social media content.

And I have reason to be concerned. According to Ofcom’s 2025 Online Nation report, UK adults spend an average of four and a half hours online every day, rising to four hours and 43 minutes for women. Research suggests that mindless scrolling can also have consequences for our psychological wellbeing.

So, in a rather ironic attempt to spend less time staring at my phone, I downloaded another app. Go Jauntly promises to help users discover new walking routes and reconnect with the nature around them. I wanted to see whether it could help me stop treating every spare minute as an invitation to scroll, and start appreciating the thousands of steps I was already taking.

I Have a Terrible Habit of Mindless Scrolling, So I Trialled a Walking App to Break the Cycle

What Are The Benefits of Walking?

Walking is one of the simplest ways to support both our physical and mental health, with benefits ranging from improved cardiovascular fitness to better mood and stress management. Encouragingly, you don’t need to walk for miles to experience them.

Scientific research has found that higher daily step counts are associated with fewer depressive symptoms. People walking at least 7,000 steps daily had a 31% lower risk of depression than those walking fewer, while just 11 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a day, such as brisk walking, could help reduce your risk of premature death, according to research from the University of Cambridge. The study also found that even relatively small amounts of physical activity were associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and certain cancers.

“The mental benefits of mixing up your walks should not be underestimated,” PT Sarah Campus previously told Marie Claire. “Stimulating our minds with new sights and experiences is so good for us.”

What Does The Science Say About Mindless Scrolling and our Health?

Unlike doomscrolling, which involves repeatedly consuming negative or distressing online content, mindless scrolling is less about what we're looking at and more about the habit itself. It’s opening Instagram without knowing why, flicking through videos without particularly enjoying them, or losing half an hour to content you can barely remember afterwards. Sound familiar?

And while it’s easy to dismiss as harmless, there’s often more behind our instinct to reach for our phones than simply wanting to be entertained. Psychologists have highlighted how scrolling can become an automatic response to uncomfortable feelings or moments of uncertainty. As psychologist Dr Susan Albers explains for the Cleveland Clinic, checking our phones can become so habitual that we barely register doing it, particularly when we find ourselves with a spare moment. Reaching for a phone is often a micro-escape from boredom, stress, loneliness, or anxiety—acting as a fast-acting, temporary way to soothe an uncomfortable nervous system.

Hana Sutch, co-founder and CEO of Go Jauntly, knows the frustration well. “It's really easy to get into a habit of mindless scrolling. I do it myself, and when I catch myself, it really frustrates me because I just think about how I just lost 30 minutes or 40 minutes of my life when I could’ve been doing something else more rewarding, like going for a walk or reading a book.”

Her advice? Pay attention to how you feel afterwards. Sometimes, recognising that scrolling hasn’t actually made you feel better is motivation enough to try something different.

How Does The Go Jauntly App Work?

Go Jauntly offers pre-planned walking trails, complete with photographs, directions and recommendations from other walkers. You can choose circular routes or use its Green Routes feature to find leafier, greener ways of getting from A to B, with information about distance and terrain helping you decide which walk suits you.

The free version includes a selection of walking routes and basic features, while Premium (£4.99 a month or £20.99 for the first year) unlocks extras including longer Green Routes, offline access and Amble Anywhere, an AI-powered tool that generates circular walking routes.

You can also filter for dog-friendly, child-friendly, car-free and wheel-friendly walks, alongside challenges for those who appreciate a little extra motivation.

I Tried Go Jauntly for Seven Days—Here Are My Unfiltered Thoughts

Days one to three

Georgia loved heading out without the temptation to look at her phone. (Image credit: Georgia Brown)

On the first day, I opened Go Jauntly with relatively modest expectations. I’ve lived in my local area for five years, walked my dog along practically every nearby pavement, and generally assumed I’d exhausted its walking potential. How wrong I was.

Within minutes, I’d discovered a puppy-friendly circular route close to home, taking me in an entirely different direction from the walk I’ve been repeating almost daily for the last two years. It was an absolute delight.

The app was refreshingly easy to navigate, but what I appreciated most was how it changed my attention. Normally, dog walks are an opportunity to catch up on messages, squeeze in a podcast or mentally run through my to-do list. Following an unfamiliar route meant actually looking around, checking street names and noticing little pockets of greenery I’d otherwise overlooked. My dog was thrilled, naturally, although I suspect she was more interested in the fresh smells than my newfound commitment to mindfulness.

Sutch says this is a common experience. “People say to us that they’ve walked past things a million times and didn’t realise what they were about, why they were there.” By day three, I was beginning to understand what she meant. I wasn’t necessarily walking any further, but the walks themselves felt far more rewarding.

Go Jauntly allows you to select dog friendly, child friendly, and wheel friendly routes. (Image credit: Georgia Brown)

Days four to seven

I’ll admit that by the middle of the week, my enthusiasm was tested. London had settled into that particularly grey, cold stretch of autumn where leaving a warm flat feels about as appealing as a 5 am alarm. One afternoon, with a rare window of free time, I found myself debating whether to head outside or curl up on the sofa with my phone. The latter was enormously tempting, but I went anyway, and was glad I did.

The photo-led directions made exploring unfamiliar streets surprisingly straightforward, while recommendations from other walkers encouraged me to look out for everything from medieval ruins to riverside views. I even stumbled across a coffee shop I hadn’t discovered in the five years I've lived here. Five years!

It made me realise how often I’d been treating walking as something purely functional. As Sutch explains, everyday journeys can become so familiar that we’re focused entirely on getting to our destination, rather than enjoying the experience. Having little landmarks to look out for gave my attention somewhere to go other than my phone.

Towards the end of the week, I also noticed something interesting about my sleep. My Oura Ring recorded a sleep latency of just fourteen minutes, compared with my usual 32 minutes. That’s the time it takes to fall asleep, and my longer readings are something the ring regularly flags for improvement. I can’t attribute one encouraging result to a walking app, of course, but I couldn’t help wondering whether spending less time scrolling and more time outdoors had played a part.

Georgia discovered stunning walking routes she’d never explored before. (Image credit: Georgia Brown)

Will I keep using Go Jauntly?

Seven days isn’t long enough to undo years of compulsively reaching for my phone, and I’d be lying if I said I hadn't slipped back into old habits. But what surprised me wasn't how much more I walked; it was how differently I experienced walking when I actually paid attention.

I don’t need every dog walk to become an expedition, nor am I pretending that discovering one lovely coffee shop has cured my scrolling habit. But I’m making more of an effort to take the unfamiliar route home, put my phone away and look at the city I’m so lucky to live in. Because I’ve spent years looking for things worth watching on my phone, while walking straight past plenty of them in real life.

Shop MC-approved Walking Essentials Below:

Oura Ring 5

I’ve worn an Oura Ring for years, and one of the things I love most is being able to spot patterns in my sleep. During this experiment, I was particularly interested in seeing how my sleep latency changed as I spent less time scrolling.

Fakindiy Mini Watercolour Paint Set

My next challenge? Taking a sketchbook on my walks to capture the little details I’d otherwise overlook. This watercolour sketchbook is perfect for slowing down, getting creative and finding a new reason to put my phone away and appreciate my surroundings.

Salomon Xa Pro 3d V9 Gore-Tex Phantom

If I’m going to make a habit of getting outside more, I need shoes that can handle whatever the British weather throws at me. These waterproof Salomon trainers are ideal for exploring new routes, from muddy park paths to longer weekend walks.

How Much Walking Should We Do Per Week?

Any walking is good walking, and you don’t necessarily need a daily step target to enjoy the benefits. However, if you’re somebody who likes a goal, the NHS recommends aiming for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week.

“This equates to roughly 30 minutes a day, five days a week, which is enough to support our overall health,” explains Campus. “The most important thing is consistency–regular walking, even in shorter bouts, adds up and makes a real difference.”

Remember that walking needs to be brisk enough to raise your heart rate to count towards that moderate-intensity target, although slower walks can still be a valuable opportunity to move, explore and take a break from your screen.

from Latest from Marie Claire UK https://ift.tt/DXgzcNu
via IFTTT