Most of us are affected by stress in our everyday lives, but how do we keep it under control?

Professor John Cryan, Chair of the Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience at UCC, has been researching how stress affects the brain and body for the past two decades.

He says stress is reaching "almost epidemic-like levels" for many people, and although our bodies have evolved to deal with stress, there can be physical manifestations as well as psychological ones.

He is currently looking at how probiotics could help ease stress "by producing the chemicals we need to modulate the brain." 

Maia Dunphy agrees that stress can sometimes be a good thing, "but when it affects every part of your life it's something we need to talk about."

She describes herself as "a natural worrier" and says she has learned to accept that she can't change it, but she can learn to manage it.

After taking probiotics for six weeks, she says she feels a lot calmer.

To catch the full chat press the play button on the image on the top of the screen