Stress is a word we hear a lot.  It is sometimes used to describe the very fast pace of life that many people lead, or the way we feel when pressure is intense.  Everyone finds different things stressful and can experience different signs and symptoms as a result of feeling stressed.  Stress generally occurs when one is unable to cope with high demands that are placed on them.

It is difficult to measure stress, but we all have some experience of what it is like and how we can cope with stressful situations. In ways one perceives and recognises stress both in them and those around them are very important.

A degree of stress is required for us to feel motivated and enthusiastic. But too much stress can affect ones health. Getting the balance right helps to lead a healthy, active lifestyle and enables one to cope with stress in a positive way.

It is believed work-related stress can make one ill, and that having risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes and not doing any exercise, combined with high stress levels can lead to coronary heart disease. The ways in which it can affect the heart is:

• By releasing certain hormones that increase blood pressure and can encourage clotting in the arteries.
• Can increase the production of cortisol and adrenaline-chemicals which prepare the body to react to new challenges, and it is believed that these chemicals may contribute to fatty deposits building up in the arteries, and more likely to clot and increase blood pressure.

Common factors of stress

Both negative and positive stressors can lead to stress. Some common categories and examples of stressors include:

• Sensory: pain, bright light
• Life events: birth and deaths, marriage, and divorce
• Responsibilities: lack of money, unemployment
• Work/study: exams, project deadlines
• Personal relationships: conflict, deception
• Lifestyle: heavy drinking, insufficient sleep
• Early life exposure (e.g. child abuse) can permanently alter an individual's stress response.
• Environmental: Lack of control over environmental circumstances, such as food, housing, health, freedom, or mobility
• Social: Struggles with specific individuals and social defeat can be potent sources of chronic stresses.

Symptoms of stress

Some common signs of too much stress include:

• Increased irritability
• Heightened sensitivity to criticism
• Signs of tension, such as nail-biting
• Difficulty getting to sleep and early morning waking
• Drinking and smoking more
• Indigestion
• Loss of concentration

It's important to act to relieve damaging stress before it affects your physical or mental health.

Dealing with stress

The secret of managing stress is to look after yourself and, where possible, to remove some of the causes of stress. If you start to feel things are getting on top of you, give yourself some breathing space.

Take a day off work, domestic chores, family and everything else that puts pressure on you. Spend the day doing only relaxing things that make you feel good. It can make all the difference, reducing the threat to your well-being.

Some ways to cope with stress:

• Accept offers of practical help
• Do one thing at a time - don't keep piling stress on stress
• Know your own limits - don't be too competitive or expect too much of yourself
• Talk to someone
• Let off steam in a way that causes no harm (shout, scream or hit a pillow)
• Walk away from stressful situations
• Try to spend time with people who are rewarding rather than critical
• Practise slow breathing using the lower part of the lungs
• Use relaxation techniques
• One response to stress can be anger.

Work-related stress

Stress caused by work is the second biggest occupational health problem in the UK (after back problems). Because there's still a stigma attached to mental health problems, employees are often reluctant to seek help in case they're seen as unable to cope.

Many situations can lead to stress at work. These include:

• Poor relationships with colleagues
• An unsupportive boss
• Lack of consultation and communication
• Too much interference with your private, social or family life
• Too much or too little to do
• Too much pressure, with unrealistic deadlines
• Work that's too difficult or not demanding enough
• Lack of control over the way the work is done
• Poor working conditions
• Being in the wrong job
• Feeling undervalued
• Insecurity and the threat of unemployment
• Lack of consultation and communication
• Too much interference with your private, social or family life
• Too much or too little to do
• Too much pressure, with unrealistic deadlines
• Work that's too difficult or not demanding enough
• Lack of control over the way the work is done
• Poor working conditions
• Being in the wrong job
• Feeling undervalued
• Insecurity and the threat of unemployment

When people feel under impossible pressure at work, they tend to work harder and harder to try to close the gap between what they're achieving and what they think they should be achieving. They stop taking breaks and lose touch with their own needs.

Tackling work stress

There are general things you can do:

• Talk to someone you trust - at work or outside - about the things that are upsetting you
• Use whatever counselling or support is available
• Work regular hours and take all the breaks and holidays you're entitled to.
• If things get too much, book a day off or a long weekend
• Use flexitime, if available, to avoid rush-hour travel or to fit in with childcare needs
• Look after yourself through exercise and healthy eating
• Tackle addictions to alcohol, smoking or other drugs

Specific things to do:

• Make your work environment comfortable and suited to your needs
• Discuss problems with your supervisor or manager, and if difficulties can't be resolved, talk to your personnel department, trade union representative or other relevant members of staff
• Treat colleagues with the respect and consideration you'd like from them
• Be aware of company policies on harassment, bullying or racism, so you know how to challenge unacceptable behaviour and what back up there is.

Find out if you are stressed:

If one is suffering from real bad effects of stress, they may notice some of the following signs and symptoms.

• Feeling sweaty or shivery
• Pounding heart or palpitations
• Needing to go to the toilet a lot more than normal
• Feeling sick in the stomach (having butterflies)
• Dry mouth
• Exhaustion
• Odd aches and pains
• Smoking or drinking more than usual
• Working to exhaustion
• Headaches
• No time for hobbies any more
• Being irritable at everything
• Thinking “I can’t cope with this any more”
• Loss of appetite for food or sex
• Eating too much or too little
• Loss of sense of humour
• Loss of interest in personal appearance
• Loss of interest in other people
• A feeling that everything is pointless
• Tearfulness
• Feeling tired and having no energy
• Difficulty in sleeping, i.e. disturbed sleep and waking up unusually early.

If you have ticked more than 5 boxes, you may already be suffering from stress and should find out how to manage stress.
If you have ticked fewer than 5 boxes, you may not be suffering adversely from stress.

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