Stress is unhealthy not only for the mind but also the body. The effects of stress can range from behavioural and appetite changes to sleeplessness and chest pains. Stress can build up over time and lead to emotional, mental and physical problems.
The MIND website has lots of useful information that could help you if you are looking for some advice.
Healthier lifestyle habits, including exercise can be an excellent way to relieve stress. They may take a little practice to develop, and you might not want to make lots of changes all at once. Find the way that works best for you.
Eating a high fat, sugar and salt diet can increase your anxiety even if there isn’t anything to worry about. Alcohol can stimulate your system, making it difficult to switch off and contrary to popular belief, smoking does not calm your nerves. If you’re struggling to identify the cause of stress, keep a diary for a month and review it to spot the triggers.
Most of us know what it feels like when things get tough, whether it’s caused by money worries, family or work problems, illness or loneliness. The good news is there are things we can do to help us through those times.
Known as the five ways to wellbeing, they have been identified by national research* as things people can do to help themselves feel better and protect them against anxiety and depression. If built into our daily lives, these five actions can help us to get through difficult times, and to get more out of life when things are going well.
They are:
- Connect With the people around you. With family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. At home, work, school or in your local community.
Think of these as the cornerstones of your life and invest time in developing them. Building these connections will support and enrich you every day.
Visit www.medway.gov.uk/leisure for ideas. - Be active Go for a walk or run. Step outside. Cycle. Play a game. Garden. Dance. Exercising makes you feel good. Most importantly, discover a physical activity you enjoy and that suits your level of mobility and fitness.
Visit http://www.medwaygetsactive.co.uk - Take notice Be curious. Catch sight of the beautiful. Remark on the unusual. Notice the changing seasons. Make time to enjoy your garden or Medway's green spaces. Visit local landmarks. Savour the moment, whether you are on a train, eating lunch or talking to friends. Be aware of the world around you and what you are feeling. Reflecting on your experiences will help you appreciate what matters to you.
Visit www.medway.gov.uk/leisure - Keep learning Try something new. Rediscover an old interest. Sign up for that course. Take on a different responsibility at work. Fix a bike. Learn to play an instrument or how to cook your favourite food.
Set a challenge you will enjoy achieving. Learning new things will make you more confident, as well as being fun to do.
Visit www.medway.gov.uk/adultlearning - Give Do something nice for someone. Thank someone. Smile. Volunteer your time. Join a community group. Look out, as well as in.
Seeing yourself, and your happiness, linked to the wider community can be incredibly rewarding and will create connections with the people around you.
Visit www.medway.gov.uk/volunteer
Physical symptoms of stress include:
Breathlessness, headaches, restlessness, chest pains, pins and needles, high blood pressure, lack of appetite or craving food, sleeping problems, constant tiredness.
You may feel:
Aggressive, irritable, dreading failure, depressed, taking no interest in life, that you are losing your sense of humour, believing you are bad or ugly.
Your behaviour may be affected in the following ways:
You may find it difficult to make decisions, have problems concentrating, deny there is a problem, have an inability to show true feelings, avoiding difficult situations, frequently crying.
Why not try the stress test and see how you score? You can find the test at:
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/workplacehealth/Pages/reducestress.aspx
If you are suffering from stress, try these 10 tips to tackle it:
1. Make the connection - could the fact that you are feeling under the weather be a response to too much pressure?
2. Take a regular break - give yourself a brief break when you feel things are getting on top of you.
3. Learn to relax - follow a simple routine to relax your muscles and slow your breathing.
4. Get better organised - make a list of jobs and tackle one at a time. Swap between dull and interesting tasks.
5. Sort out your worries - divide them into those that you can do something about and those you can't. Don't worry about things you can't change.
6. Change what you can - look at the problems that can be sorted and get what help is necessary to sort them out. Learn to say no.
7. Look at your long-term priorities - examine what it is about your life that is giving you too much stress. How can you introduce a better balance between work, social life and home life?
8. Improve your lifestyle - find time to eat properly, get plenty of exercise and enough sleep. Avoid drinking and smoking too much.
9. Confide in someone - don't keep your emotions bottled up.
10. Focus on the positive aspects of your life.
In Kent and Medway, local support is available.
You can visit http://www.liveitwell.org.uk/, a mental health website designed to provide advice and support to those in need. There is also Mental Health Matters, a 24-hours-a-day, 365-days-a-year emotional support and advice phone service on 0800 107 0160.
If you are an employer or manager and would like free support and advice on reducing stress in the workplace, go to www.kentmindfulemployer.net
Giving some of your time to one of the many volunteer organisations in Medway could help towards achieving one or more of the five ways to well-being. These organisations and others are also helping to promote the five ways to well-being.
Action for Borstal Community Project
All Saints Community Project
Alzheimer's and Dementia Family Support
Cerebral Palsy Care
Fort Amherst (Volunteers)
Groundwork Kent and Medway
Hands and Gillingham Volunteer Centre
Hands (Rochester) Volunteer Bureau
Kent Association for the Blind
Kent Council for Voluntary Youth Services
Kent Wildlife Trust
Medway Cyrenians
The Carr-Gomm Society
If you have any tried and tested methods for feeling better that you'd like to share with other people, send them to contact@abettermedway.co.uk - it might be just what someone else in Medway needs.
From coping with debt to staying healthy on a budget, NHS Choices offers practical advice on ways to help yourself in a difficult situation. Go to www.nhs.uk/livewell/onabudget/pages/creditcrunchstress.aspx
* Foresight Mental Capital and Wellbeing Project (2008)
There is also a wealth of information and tips available to help with mental health and emotional wellbeing.
If you or someone you know needs support, speak your your GP or use the ‘Find your way’ link on the left to find help locally.
Kent and Medway is now among a handful of places in England to offer residents 24-hour confidential, emotional support, free of charge. Support from the helpline 'Mental Health Matters' is available round the clock in Kent and Medway by calling the helpline on 0800 107 0160.
Callers are given the chance to talk through issues such as relationship problems, loneliness, stress, bereavement and anything else causing emotional distress, with a team of highly trained and experienced support workers. The team at the helpline use counselling skills to provide confidential emotional support and guidance. They also have details of local and national support services that people may find useful.
