Don't let stress affect your health

Nov 1 2009 By Meika Smiles, Sunday Sun

STRESS can help us through life's daily challenges but too much can be damaging. How can you stop your stress levels from soaring too far? Meika Smiles reports.

STRESS affects us all in different ways. Some people operate on stress whereas others buckle under it.

This year’s National Stress Awareness Day – NSAD – which takes place this Wednesday, aims to help people suffering from stress by highlighting coping strategies and sources of help available.

Ann McCracken, chair of the International Stress Management Association – ISMA – explains: "Stress, depression and anxiety accounts for over 13.5 million workdays being lost each year, making it the single biggest cause of sickness absence in the UK.

"The aim, through the nationwide campaign, is to increase public awareness about the effects of stress, the treatments available and, most importantly, to help individuals suffering from stress to seek help using a team of stress experts."

"NSAD will be providing free drop-in advice and access to stress advisors located in selected Boots stores and other venues nationwide."

The network of more than 60 stress advisors will be located in 12 Boots stores, 10 HSE offices and 40 other participating organisations, including – in our region – at Durham University for staff and South Tyneside Council for local businesses.

The advisors will be offering free confidential consultations on a drop-in basis.

Ann explains: "Stress causes illness. It’s not an illness in itself. There are so many illnesses it can cause and they are so varied.

"From irritable bowel syndrome, high blood pressure and heart diseases, to panic attacks, sleeplessness and memory loss.

"There are also psychological effects of stress, including depression and anxiety. It really depends on you as a person."

The warning signs are easy to spot, says Ann: "It really centres around a change in behaviour, such as someone becoming snappier or more withdrawn. There is also a chance that someone suffering from stress can become more aggressive and quite difficult to work with."

If you think that you may suffering from stress Ann recommends visiting your GP, but also believes that there are many things those suffering can do to help themselves: "There are a huge amount of things that you can do to help yourself.

"Of course, you can go to the doctor, but they may treat the symptom and not what is causing the stress."

Here Professor Terry Looker, honorary vice president of ISMA and author of Managing Stress, offers 10 top tips to help you keep your calm . . .

1 Talk to a friend or family member about your daily stresses. As the saying goes: ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’.

2 Take up a hobby, such as joining a yoga or Pilates class.

3 Drink at least six to eight glasses – approximately 1.2litres – of water a day.

4 Have a weekly laughing session with family or friends . . . watch comedy videos, tell jokes.

5 If you need to get somewhere, leave plenty of time for your journey so that you don’t get impatient, irritated or angry if you are delayed.

6 Practise meditation. Visit www.learning meditation.com to find out how this might help to combat stress.

7 Try to take regular breaks during the day and ensure you give yourself time off, even if you don’t go away.

8 Avoid leaving things to the last minute.

9 When you feel hungry, snack on carrot sticks and fruit rather than chocolate bars or crisps.

J Remember – it takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile.

South Tyneside Council is providing stress awareness sessions to local businesses.

The one-hour sessions are running at 10.30am, 1.30pm and 3pm on Wednesday, November 4, in the Rangers Offices, Bents Park Exhibition Ground, South Shields, for small groups from local businesses. The sessions are free of charge but must be pre-booked. For more information contact 0191-424 7903.