You've made it through another long day. The dishes are done, the emails are answered and the house is finally quiet. But instead of falling asleep, your mind kicks into overdrive—replaying conversations,

Hannah Fowles was spiraling. It had been a grueling day at work, and by the time the 22-year-old from Provo, Utah, got home, panic was bubbling in her chest as her thoughts raced and her cheeks flushed red.

Anxiety doesn't always get worse with age, but many people notice it feels more intense in their 50s, even if they've never struggled before. Research suggests this isn't random and is often the result of overlapping biological and emotional life-stage changes hitting all at once.

A growing body of research suggests astrocytes, star-shaped brain cells once dismissed as support players, may lead the way to more precise and effective psychiatric drugs.

Racing heart. Tightness in your shoulders. Knots in your stomach. Anxiety doesn’t just live in your thoughts. It can show up in your body, too. While occasional worry is a normal part of life, ongoing anxiety can make even simple tasks hard to manage.

Macie Strum was on high alert throughout her 3-day visit to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Anxiety itself is not a mental illness. It’s a normal, adaptive emotion that helps us respond to perceived threats. Anxiety is the automatic reaction that makes you jump back when you think you’ve seen a snake while bushwalking – before realising it’s a stick.