Coping with stress

A little bit of stress is good for the body, but when it builds up we need to learn
how to deal with it, so take a deep breath and chill out 

Identify the problem

Try to view stress as a warning that some aspects of your life might need changing. In order to beat
stress, you'll need to work out what these aspects are. OK, it sounds simple, but often we are
unaware of just how much stress a relationship/job/lifestyle is causing us. Start off by reading
our anxiety and stress factsheet to assess how many symptoms you have.

Next, carry a special notebook with you to record everything you do throughout the day, noting down
how stressed you felt on a rating of one to 10 for each listing. After a few days, some patterns should
begin to emerge - are your ratings always higher when you are working to a deadline, dealing with a
certain person, or are you just trying to cram too much into your day?

Think positive
"Everything's getting on top of me", "I can't cope", "My life feels out of control". Most of us find
ourselves having thoughts like this from time to time, but it is possible to take control of these
negative tendencies. Just a bit of positive thinking can turn you back onto the path of happiness and
healthiness. According to research from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, negative thinking can
make you sick. Tests on volunteers showed that those who focused on bad times had weaker immune
systems and also displayed increased activity in the part of the brain associated with mental problems
such as depression.

Relax
There are endless ways to relax your body and mind; it can be as simple as closing the door to the
world and having half an hour on your own with a book, but introducing some formal relaxation into
your life will really pay off too. Here are a few suggestions:
 Breathing: OK, so we do it all the time, but very few of us do it properly. Re-train your
breathing patterns and you'll soon see an improvement in anxiety and tension levels as well as your
state of mind. Mental health charity Mind can suggest some simple breathing techniques. 
 Massage: Use this hands-on remedy and feel an instant improvement to your body's built-up
tension. Massage Therapy UK can help you to find a qualified practitioner, but if your budget doesn't
stretch that far, ask a partner or friend to work on your knots instead. Mixing a few drops of
aromatherapy oils into some plain massage oil will make the experience even better.AromaWeb has
detailed information about each oil's different properties and how they can help relieve depression,
fatigue, anxiety and anger.
 Exercise: Choose the right exercise and you'll feel both energised and relaxed. As a general
rule, yoga and Tai Chi are excellent for reinstalling calm by focusing on breathing and centring the
mind, but any physical exercise will reduce stress by using up adrenalin and other hormones that the
body produces under stress, as well as relaxing the muscles.
 Orgasm: Unlikely to be prescribed by your GP, but the powers of letting off steam in the
bedroom can work wonders. Can you honestly think of a time that you're more relaxed than those
post-coital moments curled up in bed? Thought not.

Other stress-busters:
 Eat a healthy diet: Processed foods, too much salt, sugar, alcohol and caffeine can all drain
energy and often leave you with that 'wired' feeling.
 Get enough sleep: The best way to do this is to regulate your sleeping hours by going to bed
and waking up within a time slot of 1-2 hours.
 De-clutter your life: Take anything you don't use to a charity shop, recycle old magazines and
clear away the pizza boxes from under your bed. Then go to work/college on Monday and give your
desk the once over. This is the quick-fix of all de-stressers.
 Just say "no": To demanding colleagues/friends/family. You know how much you can cope
with, so pick out the important stuff and delegate the rest. Prioritising lists can often help you decide
what really needs to be done - and what can wait.
 Try to set aside at least 30 minutes each day to switch off from the world and unwind.
 Laugh: Research shows that not only does laughter improve our mood, it also relieves stress
and improves our immune system. The next time you find yourself with a frown on your face, consider
this: four-year-old children laugh on average 400 times a day, whereas adults only laugh 14 times. So
go on, get those funny videos out and invite your friends over for some serious cheering up.