November 3rd has been designated ‘Stress Awareness Day’ with the theme of ‘Start Living: Stop Stressing’. Many of us might argue that we have more than our fair share of stress awareness already, with an estimated 13.5 million lost work days each year blamed on symptoms caused by stress. That’s not to mention other factors: relationships, financial pressures, the demands and expectations we place on ourselves, all have their part to play in making us feel tense and uptight.
Stress can be defined as a negative reaction to excessive pressure or demands placed on the individual. When you are dealing with many different demands the effect is overwhelming, the body is in a constant state of fight or flight and the result is ill health.
The signs of stress are numerous and can be manifested physically, emotionally and psychologically. The inability to concentrate, negative thinking, irritability and frustration are some of the negative feelings you may recognise, whilst physically you may feel tired or conversely have difficulty sleeping, lose or gain weight or feel run down and prone to colds and flu. Many more symptoms can be added to the list.
The growing awareness of stress means that there is plenty of advice to be found on how to manage it. Some tips you may find useful are;
Adopt a healthy lifestyle; as a priority ensure you eat well, sleep well and get regular exercise.
Know your limitations. Don’t be afraid to delegate or say ‘No’ to people. Many of us end up taking on more than we are capable of out of the fear of causing offence to others.
Find out what is causing your stress. Take the time out to really look at what factors in your life are making you unhappy. You might want to consider talking to a qualified counsellor or life coach in order to help you make the changes you might need.
Make time for your friends. A happy social life and a supportive group of friends is one of the best antidotes to a stressful lifestyle.
Avoid stimulants such as caffeine, alcohol or nicotine. These are in fact stimulants and will only make you feel worse in the long run.
At the Body and Mind Centre we help a great number of clients to manage and relieve their stress effectively. Our talking therapies, such as CBT or Hypnotherapy can help you to put any problems in a new perspective. Or if you feel an hour’s relaxation would do you the world of good, why not book one of our holistic treatments? From Indian Head Massage to Reflexology, we have treatments to soothe your head down to your toes. Call us to book an appointment today on 01457 835491
by Liz Kenny
