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Tell-tale signs of chronic stress and how to get back in control of your life

Stress has become a common feature of our everyday lives; trying to juggle work and family commitments along with everything else that gets thrown your way each day can really take a toll on our physical and mental health. According to the Samaritans, one in five people get stressed on a daily basis. Stress can be caused by many things like relationship problems and money worries to household chores and work pressures. And while stress is not always negative - it has always played an important role in humans’ survival - for some people stress can turn into something far bigger than feeling the occasional need for a ‘time out’ to regroup.

When stress starts getting out of control and your body finds it harder and harder to recover you could develop chronic stress, which in turn could lead to depression. By knowing what the sings are, you may be able to nip it in the bud and reclaim control of your own life.

Some signs that you might be suffering from chronic stress are:

  • Feeling anxious
  • Frequent mood swings
  • Feeling indifferent to the world around you
  • Having difficulty concentrating
  • Aches and pains in your muscles
  • Feeling your heart thumping in your chest

There are some steps you can take to help ease the way stress affects you and take control of your life:

  • Give yourself time and space. Take a time out, go for a walk or read a book
  • Talk to a good friend about how you are feeling. If not for anything else, just talking about things can help ease the pressure you’re feeling and they might even have their own tips for coping
  • Know your own limits. There is nothing wrong in saying ‘no’ if you know you will not have time to do it
  • Find out what relaxes you and make time each week (or day) for some R&R time
  • Use your iPhone calendar or diary to organise yourself. Set aside a bit of time every night to organise everything that needs to be done and see what’s scheduled for the coming day
  • Look after yourself. Eat a well-balanced diet and throw in regular exercise to decrease that stress level

If you however find that you are still struggling, book yourself an appointment with your GP who will be able to offer valuable advice and support.

Please share your tips for reducing stress in the comments below.