The Swedes have discovered, at least their scientists have, that stress may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes in men… Though not in women.

By stress they meant anxiety, depression and sleepless nights.

Men suffering these problems had more than double the risk of developing type-2 diabetes than those with low levels of stress. The researchers claimed that stress may affect the way your brain regulates hormones and can also cause weight gain and that it is cortisol – the stress hormone – that could be the cause many health problems.

When you’re stressed – caused by hectic schedules, heavy workloads, money worries, illness and family crises – adrenaline pours into your system. This sends a warning to your body that it’s under attack, which in turn causes cells to pump fatty acids into your bloodstream, an emergency store of energy.

But you don’t burn them off in a fight as you would have in times gone past. Instead you’re sat at your desk with a report to finish by Friday, or on the M25 in a traffic jam, banging your head against steering wheel.

So the fat hangs around in your bloodstream ready for a non-existent fight, that is until a hormone comes along to dump it all in your belly – a culprit called cortical.

An article in the journal Sleep by the University of Chicago showed that men who slept only 4 hours had 37% more cortisol in their blood than men who got a full 8 hours sleep. So it seems that hormones and stress are linked to cause weight gain, diabetes, heart disease and depression.

If you’re suffering from stress, there are a number of things you can do about it . Firstly, talk to some one about it. Secondly, write down everything that’s worrying you, however insignificant or silly it seems – the pen is a mighty weapon. It makes you think about what’s wrong, what’s going wrong, makes you admit it, and by writing it down gives you a goal.

And thirdly use vinegar. Yes, vinegar.

Before you go to bed at night, mix two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar and two teaspoons of honey into a cup of hot water and drink steadily, but slowly. Also follow the recommendations in the previous article. Soon your mind will recognise these triggers and will start preparing for sleep.

If you’re averse to vinegar, or don’t have any around the house, then try lemon instead, it works well too.