HEALTH
you down? • Do you feel mostly calm? Or do you feel irritable? • Can you enjoy other people’s company, and the things you have always found fun? Or do you feel like being alone more than usual? • Do you find you can read and work okay? Or is it hard to concentrate? • Do you feel well in yourself? Or do you have aches and pains that are not related to exercise or illness? • Are you eating and sleeping normally? Or do you find it harder to eat and sleep well? If your answers show you are stressed, then it’s time to come up with some stress busters! Remember, if you can learn to manage your stress, then you can avoid more serious illness. THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO MANAGE STRESS The best way to handle stress is different for each person. Look for your body’s warning signs, such as having a headache, grinding your teeth, clenching your jaw or feeling frustrated. And know your stress triggers, such as hunger, tiredness, arguments with your family or friends, certain times of day with your children, or deadlines. Then, work on de-stressing. The good news is that plenty of simple (and free) stress-busting techniques are available: • Establish regular times for when you eat, sleep, read, exercise, grocery shop and so on. And try to set up a routine for your household, so everyone knows what is happening and when. • Look after your health, with healthy food, regular exercise and calm times in your day. And avoid using alcohol and other drugs to get through your day.
worrying about a problem is worse than the actual problem. • Think about breaking a big problem into smaller ones. Look at different ways of tackling each problem, the possible consequences and your best options. In other words, work on your problem solving, and don’t wait for a sudden miraculous answer. • Write a to-do list. If a task or problem is on paper, then it doesn’t have to be in your head. • Hang out with people who care about you. Other people can remind you of your
• Be aware of thoughts that don’t help. Saying to yourself that you can’t cope, or don’t have enough time, or feel exhausted, for example, doesn’t help. Instead, try talking yourself through a tough situation: ‘I’m doing pretty well despite my fear’, ‘I can keep calm’, ‘Everything will be okay’. • Face whatever worries or scares you. If you don’t like job interviews, for example, try a practice interview with a friend. Or, if you know you’re having trouble paying your mortgage, speak with your bank manager. Sometimes,
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