Why Stress Feels Harder the Older You Get (Your Brain Explained) with Dr Paul Taylor

Life has never been easier.  We can order food in seconds. Scroll endlessly. Avoid discomfort at every turn. And yet… so many women feel exhausted, flat, overwhelmed and more stressed than ever. Why? Today I’m sitting down with Dr Paul Taylor, neuroscientist, exercise physiologist, and author of Death by Comfort and The Hardiness Effect, to talk about exactly that.  We’re talking about dopamine, cortisol, menopause, strength, HRT, our kids screentime and how we can re-train out brains to be able to not only handle stress again, but thrive. Key moments: 0:00 -  Dr Paul Taylor’s background and why his life experience shapes how he teaches resilience 8:19 - Why modern life feels harder even though it’s more comfortable than ever before 18:27 -  The long-term impact constant comfort and screens are having on our kids’ resilience 22:23 -  What it means that teenagers today are projected to spend over 62 years of their lives on their phones 29:43 - What life can look like when you choose challenge instead of comfort 34:09 - How the way you interpret stress determines whether it weakens you or strengthens you 42:29 - The relationship between menopause, emotional regulation and cortisol 47:34 -  Practical ways women can step off the stress rollercoaster and take back control 50:52 - The mindset Dr Paul adopted when he was diagnosed with a congenital heart condition 53:56 - Five simple ways to start building resilience so you can handle the next challenge better 1:02.06 - Why getting clear on your family values helps you act bravely even when you feel anxious 1:08.00 - Why strength training is non-negotiable for women who want to age well 1:13:00 - Rapid fire questions Books mentioned: Death by Comfort - Dr Paul Taylor The Hardiness Effect - Dr Paul Taylor Enchiridion - Epictetus Want more of Paul? Follow him on IG @paultaylor.biz or visit his website www.paultaylor.biz Listen to the Hardiness Podcast on Apple or Spotify. Let me know what you thought of this episode and see the behind the scenes over at https://www.instagram.com/sarahrusbatch/?hl=en  Join my latest Alcohol Free Challenge here and find out more about my other programs here https://sarahrusbatch.com/  If you want to join a space where women feel safe to be seen, ask the questions they don’t always say out loud and connect with others going through the same as you,join my free Facebook group, Women’s Wellbeing Collective here.  And if changing your relationship with alcohol is something you want to explore further, you can find my book Beyond Booze on Audible, Spotify, Kindle and Amazon. Click the link here.