An article in the latest edition of Psychologies magazine features our Bodymind Faculty, with lead Dr Simon Lewis discussing the impact of stress on our mental and physical well-being.
Dr Lewis, who is a psychiatrist at University College London and established our newest faculty in 2024, told journalist Kellie Gillespe-Wright that enduring chronic stress is like a ‘slow burn on the immune system’.
He explained: ‘When we are under constant stress, our bodies produce too much cortisol, which can reduce the number of immune cells that fight off infections.
‘Over time, stress can accelerate cellular ageing by shortening telomeres, the protective caps at the end of our DNA. It’s like fraying the ends of a rope; the cells just don’t work as well any more and become “older”‘.
The article also focuses on how important maintaining a positive outlook is.
Says Dr Lewis: ‘When we’re in a positive emotional state, our bodies are primed for better health.
‘Studies have shown that people with optimistic outlooks have stronger immune systems – including having a higher activity of our natural killer cells, which help fight viruses and even cancer.’
When the Faculty was created in October last year, Dr Lewis explained what the concept of Bodymind is.
He told the College of Medicine: ‘We choose to join the words body and mind as one because of our belief that body and mind are neither separate nor connected, rather they are one thing: we are one thing.’
Click here to find out more about the Bodymind faculty