So how do we recognise when it's got inside us, and how can we tackle it head on without the use of drugs or expensive therapies?
Cause of stress
The causes of stress are wide ranging and vary from boredom with a job to unhappiness in a relationship, or simply having taken on too much to do. But whatever the external factor, it's the stress hormones that are out of balance - hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol
Adrenaline is the flight or fight hormone produced by the adrenal glands when the brain receives messages to be ready for action.
Physical effects of stress include:
- sweating, increase blood pressure and pulse rate, tense muscles, rapid breathing, a weak bladder, sickness and at worst, blood clots
Living with stress
Stress can feed addictions or impulses to indulge such as comfort eating or smoking, drinking or taking pharmaceuticals, legal or otherwise. These tell-tale signs can reveal if you, or a loved one, are under greater stress than normal. When that happens take a look at what's really going on in your life.
Natural Health Guru, Dr Sarah Brewer advises keeping a note of what you eat or drink while observing how you feel at that point. "Pinpointing the time and circumstances can help you get stress habits under control," she says.
Additionally, you can stave off stress by adopting some simple steps to living a more positive life:
10 steps to a stress less life
- Talk to yourself - be kind and gentle, positive and encouraging. Silence the internal critic
- Stretch - you don't need a yoga body - just stretch, walk and move your body every day
- Breathe - take 10 minutes each day to sit still and breathe slowly, calming your mind and body
- Drink plenty of water. Dehydration is a major cause of stress on the body. Mix with fruit juice for added flavour
- Monitor who or what stresses you out and avoid it/them until you are calmer. Detach your mind and see things as they really are, not as your stressed self is perceiving them
- Say positive things to people around you. Pay them complements and mean it without expectation of a response. You will feel better for it
- Say 'No' to demands on your time and make time for your garden, country walks or music
- Make a list of your priorities and tackle them slowly - don't push yourself - there's no race
- Spend 5 minutes imagining yourself in a quiet soothing place such as forest or desert island. Drink in your surrounding sounds and colours and know you are safe in this palce
- Positively affirm you have achieved your goals. Smile inwardly and feel successful and you soon will be
It's widely understood that 5 minutes mediation a day can greatly reduce mental health issues including stress, so give yourself a break and enjoy being you, quietly breathing in a busy world.