Managing stress  

Stress cannot be eliminated. It can only be managed and controlled.

The first step to achieving this is to isolate what your particular stress factors are. The following questions may help:

Make a list of all the irritants, big and small, that you can think of. (List everything, no matter how trivial you may think it is.)

• What are the factors that you are particularly prone to as an individual?
• Which factors can you eliminate by modifying your behaviour or lifestyle?
• Which are unbearable?

Only once you find your own particular stress threshold - the point where stress ceases to be stimulating and becomes a negative force - can you begin to manage and control it.

"How much can I take before it gets to me?"

It's important to realise that not all stresses can be removed. Students will always face exams and everyone experiences pressure to some degree at work.

But what you can do is reduce or accept the more trivial causes of stress. By understanding your own reactions, you can lower your everyday level of stress. And what this means is that you'll be in a better state to handle more serious stress factors when they occur.

If, after having eliminated the smaller issues, you're left with problems you can't solve, you should consider getting professional help. The risks to your health are too great to ignore.

 Preventing stress?

Time management
Organise your life. Set priorities. What has to be done now? And what can wait? Make a list of items in order of importance, estimate the time you'll need to complete each task, and then tackle them. You'll be amazed at how much you get through when you start at the beginning.

Working techniques
Concentrate on one task and complete it. Give yourself a little time and then concentrate on the next task. Try not to have too many things on the go at once: it makes you feel boxed in from all sides.

Learn to say No
Learn to say NO if you notice that things are becoming too much for you. Then propose an alternative plan of action.

Let it out
Learn to communicate and share your feelings. Laughing and crying are some of the easiest and best known ways of relieving stress and tension.

Build up your body's defences
You can fight stress quite effectively by increasing your body's own defence mechanisms. The best way to achieve this is a change in lifestyle based on appropriate diet and exercise.

Diet
Your nutritional status is an important health factor and something that can often, and easily, be improved. Generally speaking, a person who eats a balanced diet is in a better position to combat stress than someone who snacks on junk food and skips meals.

The B-group vitamins play an important role in stress management, and symptoms of stress are often symptoms of a generalised vitamin B deficiency.

Under normal circumstances, the B-group vitamins are partially responsible for activating certain enzymes that break down the proteins, carbohydrates and fats in food. This breakdown provides your body with the basic energy it needs to cope with everyday life.

Now take the example of a pressurised situation. Your body responds by releasing adrenaline and cortisone. These hormones increase your blood sugar levels, raise your pulse and increase your rate of breathing to help your body cope. The B-group vitamins, calcium and magnesium are all needed to help mobilise the energy a pressurised situation like this involves. So when your vitamin and mineral stores are depleted, your performance may be adversely affected.

The B-group vitamins are easily destroyed during cooking and food processing, and because they are used in virtually every body process, they tend to be used up quickly. Theoretically, if you could keep your body's nutritional requirements at an optimal level, it could help you cope better with life's daily demands. So it may be very beneficial to replace the B-group vitamins on a daily basis.

Exercise
Fright. Fight. Flight. That's how your body responds to stress.

Consequently, the best way to channel stress is into physical activity. Partly because it helps burn up the by-products of the stress response that might otherwise be harmful (e.g. sugars and fats), and partly because the heart and respiratory system become stronger and more efficient when exercised. This increases the body's ability to cope with stress demands.

Physical exercise as a preventative measure requires a regular pattern of exercise. And one that is suited to you. You don't have to run marathons or pump iron five times a week to get into shape. As little as thirty minutes of brisk walking three times a week can show beneficial results. It'll boost your sense of well-being and accomplishment and enhance your tranquillity. These feelings will give you a positive outlook towards yourself and your environment.

After all, it's not the shape you are that matters. It's the shape that you're in.

Be lazy and relax
Exercise is important, yes. But sometimes, doing nothing can be just as good for your health as burning calories. So every now and then, leave the roller-blading, jogging and cycling to someone else and curl up in bed with a good book, a pot of herbal tea, or both. Practise some deep breathing. You'll be amazed at the effect it has on your mind and body.