In times of heightened emotion, suppressing thoughts can keep you raging. You need to process them thoroughly in order to return to neutral.

It was recently reported that Kiwi’s watch just over 3 hours of television per day or about 23 hours a week – this is a little less than our British cousins but, explains Prof Cropley, “if you are mentally tired, sitting down and watching television is probably the least effective way to unwind. If you look at a screen all day, you need to use different physiological and psychological resources than that which you use all day at work.”

“Technology is a large part of the problem. Mobile communication has increased tenfold over the last two decades. It is a double-edged sword. Our lives are incessantly bombarded and interrupted by emails, texts and phone calls – much of it unnecessary – keeping us plugged in and unable to relax. The economic climate is equally at fault. We all feel less secure in our jobs, so work harder.”

When it comes to getting back on track after the holidays. Some things can be easier than others.

This time of year you start to hear a lot about avoiding holiday weight gain. We all know the tricks – Everything in moderation, drink lots of water, eat your veggies first, etc.