Seven ways to ditch stress and start living your life

Feeling a little stressed out lately? Well you’re not alone.

According to recent studies, a whopping 85 per cent of British adults experience stress regularly, with over half of these worrying about the impact it has on their health.

And it seems they may be right to be concerned.

According to Laura Little of wellbeing charity CABA, “Stress causes our adrenal glands to produce more of the hormone cortisol – and too much of it in our system puts us at an increased risk of weakened cognitive performance, heart disease and high blood pressure.”

Further research by the University of Michigan has shown that being stressed can cause physical problems including asthma and irritable bowel syndrome.

So how can we take steps to reduce the stress in our lives?

We asked leading health experts, life coaches and psychologists what we can do to help our minds and bodies chill out and focus on what’s truly important.

WRITE A TO-DO LIST

According to Gabrielle Treanor, online life coach at gabrielletreanor.com, writing a to-do list can help you feel organised and in control of your life and has the added benefit of giving you a feelgood hit as you cross items off. However she cautions against writing down everything you need to do.

“Too long a list just adds to your stress,” she says. “So go through your list and circle only the items that are both important and urgent as they’re the priorities.

“Choose only three of these important and urgent to-dos each day so you have a greater chance of working through them.”

INVEST IN A GOOD MATTRESS

Stress and insomnia have a mutually-destructive relationship, with each adding to the other.

Making sure you manage as close to a relaxing and restorative eight hours a night as possible can do wonders for reducing tension and increasing productivity.

Sleep psychologist Hope Bastine says: “A comfortable bed and the right supporting pillow are by far the most important items to challenge the sleep thief.”

The National Sleep Foundation recommends keeping your head in “neutral alignment” – the way you would when standing up with good posture.

A 2009 study in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine found that new, medium-firm beds increased sleep quality, reduced back discomfort and moderated stressrelated symptoms that interfere with restful sleep.

TAKE A LUNCH BREAK – AND SWAP THAT COFFEE FOR TEA

The pressure to simply grab a sandwich and keep working can be overwhelming but consultant psychiatrist Dr Dimitrios Paschos of Re:Cognition Health, says it’s important to allow ourselves a proper lunch break.

“Mental performance drops if we don’t take breaks,” he says.

“Decision-making becomes slower, attention levels wane and thinking can become more rigid. Taking a break can help clear the mind and provide clarity.”

Scientists from City University of London have also found that swapping coffee for tea can reduce stress levels.

As well as the soothing qualities of the tea itself, the act of putting the kettle on also helped people to relax.

KEEP ACTIVE

Numerous studies have shown a link between physical health and mental wellbeing and according to NHS England, to stay healthy adults should do 150 minutes of moderateintensity activity every week.

Laura Little of CABA explains: “If you’re feeling stressed, physical activity can help to clear your mind, helping you to identify the cause of your stress and deal with your problems in a more calm and effective manner. Exercise also helps to bump up the production of your brain’s feelgood endorphins.”

Laura also points out that the benefits of working up a sweat go beyond the physical.

“Pushing yourself to learn a new sport builds confidence,” she says.

“This helps you to become more emotionally resilient and better able to deal with stress.”

ORGANISE YOUR FINANCES

The chances are that financial worries feature pretty highly on your stress-o-meter.

A pension is the kind of thing we all know we should deal with but we don’t know where to start which causes a lot of stress.

But it isn’t as hard as you might think. Jordan Mayo of Profile Pensions says: “Most people feel less stressed when they have all the information about their pensions in one place, in an easy-to-understand way.

“A pension trace can track down lost and forgotten pensions and you can have those pensions reviewed against the current market for free to make sure they’re working harder for your retirement.”

VISIT THE DENTIST

Believe it or not, emotional tension can have a physical effect on your oral health, leading to issues such as teeth grinding and gum disease.

Dentist Dr Eddie Coyle of Bupa Dental Care says: “Stress has an effect on the immune system, making somebody under a great deal of stress more susceptible to gum disease.

“And while grinding your teeth may not always cause obvious pain, if it happens regularly over a prolonged period of time, it can cause enamel to wear down, leading to increased sensitivity, ongoing headaches and in extreme cases even tooth loss.”

IT’S GOOD TO TALK

Finally, a problem shared is a problem halved, according to Dr Tanya Bernstein, counselling psychologist at The Priory Hospital in north London.

“Talking can really help and bottling things up just exacerbates stress,” she says.

“Think about who you could talk to and maybe even think about what sort of support you would like. Whatever it is try to ask for it.”

• For more information on Profile Pensions visit profilepensions.co.uk or call 01772 804 404