Stress

What is it?

Stress is the feeling of being overwhelmed or unable to cope with mental or emotional pressure. Stress is our body’s response to pressure. Many different situations or life events can cause stress. It is often triggered when we experience something new, unexpected or that threatens our sense of self, or when we feel we have little control over a situation.

We all deal with stress differently. Our ability to cope can depend on our genetics, early life events, personality and social and economic circumstances.

https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/a-to-z/s/stress

What can cause stress?

Bereavement
Divorce/separation
Loss of a job
Financial issues
Work/education

Signs of stress

Anxiety
Worry or fear
Anger or aggressiveness
Sadness
Irritability
Frustration
Depression
Headaches
Nausea
Indigestion
Digestive problems such as constipation, bloating or diarrhea
Shallow breathing or hyperventilating
Sweating
Heart palpitations
Aches and pains

These symptoms might lead to you withdrawing from people, being indecisive or inflexible, feeling tearful, having problems with sleep or smoke, drink alcohol or take drugs more than usual.

https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/a-to-z/s/stress

Coping strategies when dealing with stress

How can you help yourself?

If you're feeling stressed, there are some things you can try to feel less tense and overwhelmed.

1. Recognise when stress is a problem

It’s important to connect the physical and emotional signs you’re experiencing to the pressures you are faced with. Don’t ignore physical warning signs such as tense muscles, tiredness, headaches or migraines.

Think about what’s causing your stress. Sort them into issues with a practical solution, things that will get better with time and things you can't do anything about. Take control by taking small steps towards the things you can improve.

Make a plan to address the things that you can. This might involve setting yourself realistic expectations and prioritising essential commitments. If you feel overwhelmed, ask for help and say no to things you can’t take on.

2. Think about where you can make changes

Are you taking on too much? Could you hand over some things to someone else? Can you do things in a more leisurely way? You may need to prioritise things and reorganise your life so you’re not trying to do everything at once.

3. Build supportive relationships

Find close friends or family who can offer help and practical advice can support you in managing stress. Joining a club or a course can help to expand your social network and encourage you to do something different. Activities like volunteering can change your perspective and have a beneficial impact on your mood.

4. Eat healthily

A healthy diet can improve your mood. Getting enough nutrients (including essential vitamins and minerals) and water can help your mental wellbeing.

5. Be aware of your smoking and drinking

Cut down or cut out smoking and drinking if you can. They may seem to reduce tension but actually make problems worse. Alcohol and caffeine can increase feelings of anxiety.

6. Get some exercise

Physical exercise can help manage the effects of stress by producing endorphins that boost your mood. It can be hard to motivate yourself if you're stressed, but even a little bit of activity can make a difference. For example, you could aim to walk for 15-20 minutes three times a week.

7. Take time out

Take time to relax and practice self-care, where you do positive things for yourself. For instance, you could listen to our podcasts about relaxation to calm your body and mind. Striking a balance between responsibility to others and responsibility to yourself is vital in reducing stress levels.

8. Be mindful

Mindfulness meditation can be practiced anywhere at any time. Research has suggested it can be helpful for managing and reducing the effect of stress and anxiety.

9. Get some restful sleep

If you’re having difficulty sleeping, you can try to reduce the amount of caffeine you consume and avoid too much screen time before bed. Write down a to do list for the next day to help you prioritise, but make sure you put it aside before bed. For more tips on getting a good night’s sleep, read our guide ‘How to sleep better’.

10. Be kind to yourself

Try to keep things in perspective and don't be too hard on yourself. Look for things in your life that are positive and write down things that make you feel grateful.

https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/a-to-z/s/stress

Apps

Worry tree - https://www.worry-tree.com/

Take control of your worries

Headspace - https://www.headspace.com/

Calm - https://www.calm.com/

Insight Timer - https://insighttimer.com/en-gb

Resources

MHFA - Stress container - https://mhfaengland.org/mhfa-centre/resources/address-your-stress/stress-container-resource-download.pdf

The stress container teaches you how to make your stress more manageable.

MHFA - Address your stress - https://mhfaengland.org/mhfa-centre/resources/address-your-stress/

Lots of resources around addressing your stress.