DID YOU KNOW 75% OF ILLNESS IS A DIRECT RESULT OF STRESS?
SO WHAT IS STRESS?
Stress can be defined as “the non-specific response of the body to any demand made upon it”. Or put another way stress is any factor that threatens our physical or mental wellbeing.
We all experience stress to some degree. In fact a certain amount of stress or pressure is needed to motivate us on a daily basis, but it is when the pressure is sustained that things can become out of balance. The body is designed to manage short term stress by engaging it’s “fight or flight” syndrome when we perceive danger or feel threatened. The body shuts down all systems that are not needed, like digestion for example, and sends out hormones that tell the body to prepare for the emergency. The physical reaction is the same whether the “danger” is real such as a physical attack, or simply worrying about a personal situation. Anxiety and tension stimulate the release of stress hormones and over time this can cause many problems if the hormones that are released during the fight or flight syndrome are not reabsorbed. They can interfere with the body’s natural healing abilities leading to a lowered immune system and other physical symptoms such as headaches, muscle tension, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, ulcers etc. Mental symptoms include anxiety, depression, sleep problems, general loss of interest in life, loss of libido.
ADVICE ON STRESS
If you suffer from anxiety and nervous disorders it can be very helpful to learn ways to manage this as it has been shown that negative thoughts can produce negative emotions consistent with those thoughts, so if you can manage your thoughts better you will also notice a difference in your general wellbeing. Please see my Cognitive Behaviour Therapy page if you are interesting in dealing with such issues.
Each person is individual in their reaction to stress, what may be stressful to one person is stimulating to another. It is therefore important to know yourself and your triggers to excessive stress. Some people will drink/smoke/eat more, withdraw, work excessively etc. Failure to respond to these signals can lead to eventual burnout and therefore illness or disease (“dis-ease”).
The link between stress and heart disease, for example, is well known. If stress is intense and prolonged, and excess hormones, like adrenaline, are not “used up” by relaxation, or exercise, then our heart rate is raised and high blood pressure can develop which causes tension in the arteries. If the artery walls are scarred due to damage by high blood pressure then the flight or flight response could be lethal as the hormones cause the heart to work even harder to increase blood supply to the muscles, and a heart attack is possible. So it’s important to recognise and manage symptoms as soon as you become aware of them. We all acknowledge that there will be times of stress in our lives (good as well as bad) but we must learn to manage our symptoms before long term stress and it’s associated, more serious conditions affect us.
HOW TO MANAGE STRESS
SIMPLE WAYS TO REDUCE STRESS INCLUDE –
Exercise – regular exercise is one of the best ways to relieve stress as it helps reduce the amount of adrenaline (a stress hormone) in the bloodstream. Aerobic exercise also helps release endorphins into the bloodstream which act as mood enhancers. Rhythmic exercise such as swimming or walking also help to slow down the brainwaves, making us feel more relaxed.
Diet – Eating a diet high in complex carbohydrates and spreading calorie intake throughout the day helps to maintain blood sugar levels. Low blood sugar levels impair concentration and energy, and increase irritability which will not help if we are already suffering with stress. Also remember to keep hydrated as mild dehydration can result in the same symptoms as low blood sugar.
Cut down on the caffeine. Sorry if this seems obvious, but it will help if you are experiencing sleep problems associated with your stressful situation. I love my morning coffees but avoid caffeine in the afternoon and evenings. It works for me so there is no need to cut it out altogether.
Try to take some time out for yourself whether this is 5 minutes with your favourite book, going for a walk round the block to clear your head, or listening to your favourite piece of music. Anything that you enjoy and takes your mind off things for even a short while will be beneficial.
Talking to someone about your problem where possible can be helpful whether this is a friend, or a professional, just outlining what’s on your mind can help you put things in perspective in the interim.
Learn some simple breathing exercises. Most of us breathe incorrectly when under stress. We tend to breathe using only the top part of the lungs and so only take in shallow breaths. This means that we are not fully oxygenating our systems which can leave us feeling sluggish and tired. Prolonged shallow breathing can cause light headedness and even panic attacks in severe cases. We tend not to use our diaphragms at all and hold the belly in. Try placing one hand on your stomach and one hand on the back of your ribs and fill your lungs with more air than you think is possible. You should feel your hands move further apart as your stomach area and diaphragm expand in order to allow your lungs to fill with air. Then breathe out as long as you possibly can. This has the effect of recycling and removing any “stale” air (or energy) that has been left in the lungs. Correct breathing techniques can have an amazing effect on the body. A very good exercise for calming and centring you is to do the following –Just breathe in, breathe out, a few times following the natural rhythm of your breath for a minute or two. Then breathe in for the count of 1, breathe out for the count of 1. breathe in for the count of 2, breathe out for 2, breathe in for 3, breathe out for 3…….continue until you reach the count of 10. This is very head clearing and calming and you can do it anywhere.
Regular Meditation and Yoga are very good for calming and both have been shown to reduce blood pressure and boost the immune system, as well as reducing levels of stress and anxiety.
STRESS AT WORK
In financial terms the estimated costs of sickness in the UK each year is around £12 Billion.
Stress is the single largest cause of occupational ill health, with the highest levels being reported in Education, Health Services, Central Government, Local Authorities and Financial Services.
The HSE (Health & Safety Executive) has now introduced Management Standards for work related stress focusing on Health, Well-being, and Organisational performance. They aim to reduce work related illness by 20%, and to reduce the number of workdays lost by 30% by the year 2012.
Forward thinking employers are now helping their staff to achieve and maintain a good home/work life balance. A healthy organisation is also more effective in the marketplace.
- In 2008/09 an estimated 415 000 individuals in Britain, who worked in the last year, believed that they were experiencing work-related stress at a level that was making them ill according to the Labour Force Survey (LFS).
- The 2009 Psychosocial Working Conditions (PWC) survey indicated that around 16.7% of all working individuals thought their job was very or extremely stressful.
- The annual incidence of work-related mental health problems inBritainin 2008, as estimated from the THOR surveillance schemes OPRA and SOSMI, was approximately 5,126 new cases per year. However, this almost certainly underestimates the true incidence of these conditions in the British workforce.
- Estimates from the LFS indicate that self-reported work-related stress, depression or anxiety accounted for an estimated 11.4 million lost working days inBritainin 2008/09
We spend a lot of hours at our place of work and if you believe it is making you ill then it may be time to rethink your work/life balance. If you are working more than 50 hours a week and your family and friends are complaining that they never see you, it might be time to take a long hard look at your priorities and assess what can be changed.
CLICK HERE TO SEE IF YOU SHOW ANY SIGNS OF WORK-RELATED STRESS!
ON SITE THERAPIES IN THE WORKPLACE
On-site complementary therapies, such as head and shoulder massages are very effective and help alleviate and prevent stress related conditions such as insomnia, anxiety, upper body/postural tension, migraines, and depression to name a few. With regular treatments the immune system is also boosted leading to less minor health problems such as colds/flu. Concentration is also improved, blood pressure can be regularised, and the nervous system is rebalanced, leading to a feeling of general well-being. I would very much encourage anyone to take advantage of this if they are lucky enough to have access to therapies at work.
